UC-NRLF 


SB    2b3    SID 


LiVE  LANGUAGE 

JLflrf  JL»* 

LESSONS 


HOWARD  R.DRIGGS 


TEACHERS  MANUAL 


THE  UNIVERSITY  PUBUS1ING€GMPAT 


LIVE  LANGUAGE 
LESSONS 

TEACHERS'  MANUAL 


BY 


HOWARD  R.  DRIGGS 

PROFESSOR  OF  EDUCATION  IN  ENGLISH  AND 

PRINCIPAL  OF  THE  SECONDARY  TRAINING  SCHOOL, 

UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH,  SALT  LAKE  CITY 


lincoln — Cb  ic 
THE  UNIVERSITY  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
1921 


/  lo  3  ' 

37 


COPYRIGHT,  1921 
THE  UNIVERSITY  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

All  Rights  Reserved. 


(B-A) 


CONTENTS 

SECTION  ONE— PRINCIPLES  AND  METHODS 

INTRODUCTION 3 

Fundamental  Aims  in  Language  Teaching ....  5 
General  Methods  of  Language  Teaching  Com- 
pared    5 

Plan  of  Live  Language  Lessons 7 

Composition  Content  of  Live  Language  Les- 
sons    8 

Points  to  Remember 9 

Practical  Suggestions 9 

SECTION  TWO— THE  WORK  BY  GRADES 

LANGUAGE  AIMS  IN  THE  ELEMENTARY  GRADES  ....  13 

THIRD  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline 15 

Special  Cautions  for  Third  Grade  Work 16 

Practical  Helps  with  Demonstration  Lessons..  18 

Drill  Exercise  Chart 18 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — SUMMER  STORIES 19 

Sharing  Our  Vacation  Fun 19 

Finding  Words 21 

Riddles 21 

Animal  Tricks '21 

Training  Animals 22 

Animal  Games 23 

A  Zoo  Guessing  Game 23 

Talks  about  Farm  Animals 23 

GENERAL  STUDY  Two — LITTLE  LABORERS  .  . 24 

A  Talk  about  Work..  25 


494388 


iv  CONTENTS 


Finding  Words 26 

Getting  Ready  for  School. 26 

Talks  about  School  Work 26 

Stories  about  Workers 27 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE — AUTUMN  DAYS 27 

Fall  Poems 28 

Talks  about  the  Harvest 29 

Stories  of  Nutting  Time 29 

Live  Language  Game 30 

Popcorn  Stories 30 

An  Indian  Corn  Story 30 

A  Wigwam  Story  Hour 31 

The  Four  Winds 31 

The  Indians  and  the  Jack-o '-Lantern 32 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR — THANKSGIVING  TIME 32 

Picture  and  Poem  Study 33 

Pennyroyal  Pie 34 

The  First  Thanksgiving 34 

A  Thanksgiving  Dinner  Alphabet 35 

Thanksgiving  Games 35 

How  Foods  are  Produced  for  Us 36 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — SANTA  CLAUS  STORIES 36 

A  Visit  from  St.  Nicholas 37 

Christmas  Poems  and  Stories 38 

A  Mother  Goose  Christmas  Party 39 

A  Mother  Goose  Play 40 

GENERAL  STUDY  Six — SNOWFLAKE  FUN 40 

The  Snow  Man 41 

Finding  Winter  Words 42 

The  Snowball  Game 42 

Snow  Stories 43 

Stories  of  Eskimos 43 

Mother  Hubbard's  Geese 44 

Winter  Night 44 

How  People  Keep  Warm 44 

Review  Tongue-Training  Drills 44 


CONTENTS 


GENERAL    STUDY    SEVEN — THE    FIRESIDE    STORY 

HOUR 45 

PART  ONE.    FAIRY  TALES  AND  LEGENDS 45 

The  Story  Hour 46 

A  Play  Story  Hour 46 

Telling  Fables ' 46 

Fairy  Tales  to  Play 47 

Fairy  Wand  Games 48 

PART  Two.   VALENTINE  FUN 49 

PART  THREE.    STORIES  FOR  LITTLE  AMERICANS.  50 

Hetty  Marvin 51 

An  American  Story  Hour 51 

Washington  and  the  Corporal 51 

A  Patriotic  Program 51 

GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT — SPRINGTIME  STORIES 52 

The  Story  of  Persephone 53 

Stories  of  Plants 54 

A  Springtime  Party 55 

A  Poem  Study 55 

My  Favorite  Bird 56 

Barnyard  Birds 56 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE — PLAYS  AND  PLAYMATES.  .  57 

PART  ONE.    SPRING  SPORTS 57 

The  Swing 58 

A  Game  of  Pomp 59 

A  Study  of  Action  Words 59 

One,  Two,  Three 59 

Playing  Language  Games 60 

A  Vocabulary  Exercise 60 

Enjoying  the  Booklets 60 

Review  Drills  for  Tongue  Training 60 

PART  Two.   ANIMAL  PLAYMATES 61 

Animals  at  Play 61 

Animal  Actions 62 

Picture  Talks .  .  62 


vi  CONTENTS 


PART  THREE.   WATER  SPORTS 63 

Water  Fun 64 

A  True  Fish  Story 64 

A  Fishing  Game 64 

Vacation  Fun 64 

The  Music  of  Nature 65 

Review  Exercises 65 

FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline 67 

Points  for  General  Guidance 68 

Formal  Exercises  for  the  Fourth  Grade 69 

Correct-Usage  Tables 69 

Enunciation  Exercises 71 

Punctuation  and  Capitalization 72 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — FUN  IN  THE  COUNTRY 72 

Talking  about  Country  Fun 73 

Word  Study 74 

Finding  the  Author's  Words 74 

Sentence  Studies 74 

Words  often  Mispronounced 74 

Word  Forms  to  Master:  Correct  Usage 75 

GENERAL  STUDY  Two — AUTUMN  GIFTS 76 

The  Spirit  of  Autumn 76 

King  Autumn's  Feast 78 

Sowing  the  Seeds 80 

A  Tale  of  a  Traveler 81 

Author  Study 81 

Autumn  Leaves 81 

Correct-Usage  Table  2 82 

The  Comma  in  Series 82 

Reviews 82 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE — HALLOWE'EN 82 

Enjoying  Hallowe'en  Poems  and  Stories 83 

Talking  about  Hallowe'en  Fun 83 

Enjoying  the  Stories 83 


CONTENTS  vii 


Planning  a  Hallowe'en  Program 84 

Hallowe'en  Rhymes 84 

Poem  Studies 84 

Vocabulary  Building 85 

Correct-Usage,  Table  3 85 

Tongue  Training 86 

Correct-Usage,  Table4 86 

Review  Drill  on  Correct  Usage 87 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR — HOME  HELPERS 87 

Talks  about  Cooking 87 

Telling  about  Play  Dinners 87 

Helping  Hands 88 

Thrift 88 

Making  Home  Rhymes 88 

Pioneer  Foods  and  Cooking 89 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — CHRISTMASTIDE 89 

The  First  Christmas  Story 90 

Christmas  Poetry 90 

Sharing  Christmas  Pleasures 91 

Christmas  Remembrances 91 

Christmas  Cards 92 

Rules  for  Using  Capitals 92 

New  Year's  Greetings 92 

Abbreviations 93 

Days  of  the  Week 93 

Reviews , 93 

GENERAL  STUDY  Six — SNOW  SPORTS 93 

Sharing  Our  Winter  Fun 94 

A  Book  of  Winter  Stories 94 

Conversation  in  Stories 95 

Words  that  Take  the  Place  of  "Said" 95 

Snow  Stories  to  Read 95 

The  First  Snowfall 95 

Contractions 96 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN — AROUND  THE  FIRESIDE  . .  96 


viii  CONTENTS 


GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT — LITTLE  FOLK  OF  OTHER 

LANDS 98 

A  Patriotic  Study 98 

Drill  on  Correct-Usage,  Table  4 99 

Review  Drill  on  Correct-Usage,  Table  3 99 

Lesson  on  the  Comma  and  Capitals 99 

GENERAL    STUDY    NINE — SPRING    IN    SONG    AND 

STORY 100 

Poems  of  Springtime 101 

Messengers  of  Spring 101 

An  Old  Tale  of  Springtime 102 

Growing  Gardens. . 102 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN — GENERAL  REVIEW 102 

Correct-Usage  Language  Matches 103 

Punctuation  Practice 104 

Enunciation  Exercises 105 

GENERAL  STUDY  ELEVEN — MAYTIME 106 

The  Flower  Festival 107 

FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline 112 

Correct-Usage  Tables  for  Fifth  Grade 114 

Correct  Usage — Grammar 114 

Punctuation  and  Capitalization 115 

Enunciation  Exercises 115 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — THE  WORLD'S  WORKERS.  .  116 

Talks  about  Workers  and  Their  Work 116 

Poet  Pictures  of  Workers 117 

Stories  of  Workers 117 

Telling  and  Playing  Stories 117 

Paragraph  Studies 118 

Choosing  a  Subject  to  Talk  About 118 

Planning  the  Talks 119 

A  Play  for  Young  Workers 119 

Boy  and  Girl  Workers — Lessons  on  Thrift.  ...  119 


CONTENTS  ix 


GENERAL  STUDY  Two — INDIAN  LIFE 121 

Talks  about  the  Indians 122 

An  Indian  Story  Hour 122 

The  Indians  and  the  Pioneers 122 

A  Lesson  on  Capital  Letters 123 

Dramatizing  Stories  from  Hiawatha 123 

Paragraph  Pictures 123 

Indian  Sketches  or  a  Play  on  Indian  Life 123 

The  Papoose  Lullaby 125 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE — THANKSGIVING 126 

The  Spirit  and  Story  of  Thanksgiving 127 

Remembering  the  Pilgrims 127 

The  Thanksgiving  Dinner 127 

Creating  Thanksgiving  Plays 128 

Writing  Invitations 128 

Words  to  Express  Appreciation 128 

Troublesome  Word  Forms 129 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR — CHRISTMAS  STORIES 130 

Christmas  Story  Hours 130 

Creating  a  Christmas  Booklet 130 

Correct-Usage  Studies 130 

Blending  Constructive  and  Corrective  Work. . .  132 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — OUR  ANIMAL  FRIENDS  ...  133 

Telling  and  Writing  Animal  Stories 134 

Reading  and  Telling  Stories  about  Animals .  .  .  134 

Practical  Talks  on  the  Care  of  Animals 134 

Correct-Usage  Tables  and  Drills 134 

Correct-Usage  Tables — Review 136 

GENERAL  STUDY  Six — BRAVE  BOYS  AND  GIRLS...  136 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN — SPRING  WORK 140 

Talks  about  Spring  Duties 141 

Growing  Gardens 141 

Making  a  Garden 141 

Raising  Chickens 142 

Debates 142 

Business  Letters . .  143 


CONTENTS 


GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT — SPRINGTIME  FUN 143 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE — PART  I — BIRD  LIFE 145 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE — PART  II — REVIEW 148 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN — SPRING  SPORTS 150 

SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline 153 

Minimum  Essentials  Demanded  of  Sixth 

Graders 155 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — SUMMER  SPORTS 156 

GENERAL  STUDY  Two — FAIRS  AND  FESTIVALS..  . .  160 

The  School  Fair 160 

Telling  about  Shows 161 

Descriptive  Words 163 

Lessons  in  Number 164 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE — STORIES  or  INDUSTRY..  164 

Talks  on  Industry 164 

Inter-School  Correspondence 165 

Studying  the  Paragraph  and  Sentence  Building  166 

Stories  of  Pioneer  Days 167 

GENEEAL  STUDY  FOUR — ENTERTAINMENTS 167 

Telling  about  Plays 168 

Creating  the  Play  or  Plays 169 

Practicing  and  Presenting  a  Play 170 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — LIFE  IN  THE  CITY 171 

Talks,  Sketches,  and  Studies  about  City  Life. .  171 

Young  Citizens 172 

Study  of  Adjectives  and  Adverbs 172 

Reviews 173 

GENERAL  STUDY  Six — STORIES  OF  OUR  COUNTRY.  174 

Retelling  Patriotic  Stories 174 

Hero  Tales  in  Verse 176 

A  Patriotic  Program 177 

The  Twelfth  Correct-Usage  Table 177 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN — SCHOOLDAYS  AND  SCHOOL- 
MATES. .                                             178 


CONTENTS  xi 


GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT — WILD  ANIMAL  LIFE  ....   180 

Telling  and  Writing  Animal  Stories 181 

Reading  and  Creating  Animal  Tales 183 

Review  Studies  in  Elementary  Grammar 184 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE — ORCHARD  AND  WILD  WOOD.  185 

Tales  and  Written  Sketches  about  Trees 185 

Reading    and    Creating    Stories,    Plays,    and 
Poems  about  Trees 187 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN — BEGINNINGS  IN  COMPOSI- 
TION    188 

Vocabulary  Work 189 

Enunciation  and  Pronunciation 190 

Capital  Letters  and  Punctuation 192 

The  Paragraph 192 

GENERAL  STUDY  ELEVEN — BEGINNINGS  IN  GRAM- 
MAR    195 

Sentence  Studies  and  Parts  of  Speech 195 

Spelling  and  Using  Plural  and  Possessive  Forms  195 

The  Tables  of  Correct  Usage 196 

Language  Aims  in  the  Grammar  Grades 202 

SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline 205 

General  Suggestions 207 

Special  Aims  for  the  Seventh  Grade 208 

The  Opening  Study,  Channels  of  Expression. . .  209 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — STORIES  AND  STORY  TELL- 
ING   210 

Introductory  Studies  and  Old-Time  Tales 211 

Historical  Tales 211 

Stories  from  the  Masters 212 

Everyday  Stories 212 

GENERAL  STUDY  Two — How  TO  TELL  A  STORY  ...  213 

Story  Titles  and  Story  Movement 213 

Making  the  Story  Lifelike 216 

Paragraph  Building 217 


xii  CONTENTS 


GENERAL  STUDY  THREE — PIONEER  HISTORY 

STORIES  AND  SKETCHES 218 

Grandfather  and  Grandmother  Tales 218 

Coming  of  the  Pioneers 219 

Real  Letter  Writing 220 

Biographies,  Autobiographies,  Diaries 220 

History  of  Home  Town  or  City 221 

Pioneer  Iowa • 223 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR — SKETCH  BOOKS 228 

Writing  Descriptive  Paragraphs  and  Letters. . .  229 

Word  Portraits,  Snapshots  and  Cartoons 230 

Word  Studies 231 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — SENTENCE  STUDIES 232 

Studying  Simple  Sentences 233 

Simple  and  Compound  Sentence  Studies 236 

The  Complex  Sentence 237 

Applied  Studies  in  Sentence  Building 238 

Sentence  Clearness 239 

How  to  Make  Clear  Sentences 240 

Punctuation  and  Arrangement 240 

GENERAL  STUDY  Six — HOMES  AND  HOME-MAKING  242 

Homes  and  Home  Work 242 

Foods  and  Cooking . 243 

Home  Pleasures 246 

The  Home  Library 246 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN — WORDS  AND  THEIR  WAYS.  247 

Dealing  with  the  Slang  Habit 248 

Cultivating  the  Dictionary  Habit 249 

Reviews  in  Correct  Usage 249 

Getting  a  Foretaste  of  Latin 251 

GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT — THE  POET  AND  His  ART  252 

Review  of  Seventh  Grade  Work 255 

Skill  in  Building  Paragraphs 256 

A  Sure  "Sentence  Sense" 257 

A  Rich  and  Ready  Vocabulary 257 

The  Spirit  of  Authorship 258 


CONTENTS  xiii 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

General  Outline  and  Suggestions 259 

Socialized  Studies  in  Composition 259 

Course  in  Practical  Grammar 260 

Studies  in  Sentence  Structure 260 

The  Parts  of  Speech  in  Use .- .  261 

Inflections 262 

Points  to  Guide  Teachers 262 

Special  Aims  for  the  Eighth  Grade 263 

Helps  in  Composition  Work 264 

Standards  of  Attainment 264 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE — MAKING  THE  SCHOOL  NEWS- 
PAPER    266 

GENERAL     STUDY     Two  —  CREATING     ORIGINAL 

STORIES 268 

GENERAL    STUDY    THREE — TRAVEL    TALKS    AND 

SKETCHES 269 

Planning  the  Talks 271 

Around  the  Alamo 271 

Some  Excellent  Results 272 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR — RECREATION 273 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE — CLOSING  WORDS 275 

GRAMMAR 277 

A  Climbing  Course  in  Applied  Grammar 278 

Grammar   as   Organized    in    Live    Language 

Lessons 279 

A  New  Point  of  View 280 

The  Vitalizing  Principle 281 

Live  Language  Drills 282 

The  New  Nomenclature 283 

DIVISION     ONE  —  PRACTICAL     SUGGESTIONS     FOR 

TEACHING  TYPE  LESSONS  IN  GRAMMAR 284 

Sentence  Building 284 

Word  Groups 286 

Idioms 287 

Kinds  of  Sentences  According  to  Use 287 


xiv  CONTENTS 


Base  of  the  Sentence 287 

The  Predicative  Verb 288 

The  Passive  Verb 289 

Dramatizing  the  Verb 290 

A  Study  of  Objects 293 

Cultivating  the  Quotation  Sense 294 

Base  of  Compound  and  Complex  Sentences.  .  .  294 

DIVISION  Two — STUDIES  IN  THE  PARTS  OF  SPEECH.  295 

Nouns  in  Use 296 

Case  Uses  of  the  Noun . 297 

Genitive  Forms  of  the  Noun 298 

Substantive  Phrases  and  Clauses 298 

Diagraming  and  Sentence  Clearness 300 

The  Pronoun 301 

Case  Forms  of  the  Pronoun 302 

Relative  Pronouns 304 

Verbs  as  Life-Giving  Elements 306 

Predicative  and  Non-Predicative  Verbs 307 

A  New  View  of  Transitive   and   Intransitive 

Verbs 308 

Practical  Study  of  Non-Predicative  Verbs 309 

Adjectives  in  Use 310 

Adverbs 

Adjectives  or  Adverbs 313 

Adverbial  Phrases  and  Clauses 314 

Prepositions 

Conjunctions 315 

Correlative  Conjunctions 316 

Interjections 316 

Summary  and  Reviews 316 

DIVISION  THREE — INFLECTIONS 

A  Concluding  Word . . . 317 


CONTENTS  xv 


SECTION  THREE— PRACTICAL  TALKS  TO 
TEACHERS 

The  Discovery  Lesson 32 1 

Development  Lessons 326 

Cultivating  Skill  in  Speech 328 

Graded  Chart  of  Punctuation  and  Capitaliza- 
tion    333 

Live  Language  Enunciation  Exercise  Chart.   335 
Live  Language  Plan  for  Drill  Exercises  in  Cor- 
rect Usage,  Grades  3,  4,  5 336 

Live  Language  Plans  for  Drill  Exercises  in  Cor- 
rect Usage,  Grades  6,  7,  8 337 

Solving  the  "Seat  Work"  Problem 339 

Live  Language  Combination  Study  Plan  Sug- 
gested Especially  for  Rural  Schools 343 

Third  and  Fourth  Grades 343 

Fifth  and  Sixth  Grades 344 

Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades 344 

Live  Language  Uniform  Program  for  Year  Sug- 
gested Especially  for  Rural  Schools 346 

Uniform  Study  Outline  for  Live  Language  Les- 
sons covering  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth 

Grade  Work 347 

A  Final  Word..  .  348 


SECTION  ONE 
PRINCIPLES  AND  METHODS 


INTRODUCTION 

This  manual  has  been  prepared  especially  for  those 
using  Live  Language  Lessons.  It  contains  definite 
helps,  however,  for  all  teachers  who  would  vitalize  the 
language  work  of  their  schools. 

The  effort  of  the  author  has  been  to  produce  a  practical 
guide  book  which  points  the  natural,  the  progressive  way 
to  train  pupils  effectively  to  express  themselves  in  choice 
living  language. 

The  constructive  suggestions  offered  herein  come 
directly  out  of  experiences  in  the  classroom.  The  illus- 
trations given  have  been  developed  by  the  author  and 
others  while  teaching  Live  Language  Lessons  in  various 
types  of  schools  in  many  different  states. 

It  is  hoped  that  this  little  handbook  of  helps  will 
encourage  teachers  everywhere  to  take  the  rational  road 
to  success  in  language  teaching,  and  enable  them,  while 
in  service,  to  get  the  richest  possible  results  from  their 
work. 

How  Live  Language  Lessons  may  best  be  taught  can 
be  readily  discovered  by  a  careful  study  of  the  texts 
themselves.  The  method  is  plainly  revealed  in  every 
exercise.  There  seems  need,  however,  to  give  teachers 
an  even  clearer  view  of  the  general  plan  of  the  books,  to 
explain  the  fundamental  principles  on  which  they  are 
based,  and  to  make  plain  the  essentials  that  must  not 
be  forgotten  in  their  teaching. 


LIVE  \  'LANGUA GE  LESSONS 


For  these  purposes  this  manual  has  been  written.  The 
charts,  the  constructive  suggestions,  and  the  demonstra- 
tions it  contains  will  help  teachers  understand  and 
apply  the  methods  more  intelligently. 

These  books  -were  created,  not  from  behind  a  pro- 
fessor's desk,  nor  in  a  library  cloister.  They  were 
developed  in  the  classroom  in  the  grades  for  which 
they  are  intended.  Every  lesson  in  them  was  proved 
before  it  was  written.  All  of  them  have  been  success- 
fully tested  by  teachers,  both  in  city  and  in  country 
schools. 

The  Live  Language  plan  opens  the  opportunity  to 
train  pupils,  through  their  own  expression,  for  practical 
service  along  every  essential  line  of  life.  To  this  end 
the  following  exercises  are  systematically  offered: 

1 .  Lessons  that  inspire  a  love  of  country. 

2.  Lessons  that  develop  the  right  home  spirit. 

3.  Lessons  that  promote  proper  health  habits. 

4.  Lessons  that  cultivate  respect  for  labor. 

5.  Lessons  that  teach  sensible  thrift. 

6.  Lessons  that  widen  the  learner's  world. 

7.  Lessons  that  cultivate  appreciation  of  nature. 

8.  Lessons  that  stimulate  wholesome  recreation. 

9.  Lessons  that  train  the  taste  for  literature. 

10.    Lessons  that  awaken  interest  in  current  events. 

Through  a  series  of  practical,  close-to-life  lessons  the 
various  classes  are  led  to  express  their  own  thoughts  and 
experiences.  The  teacher,  by  guiding  this  expression 
into  proper  channels,  turns  it  to  the  ends  desired. 


INTRODUCTION 


Fundamental  Aims  in  Language  Teaching 

Live  Language  Lessons  are  based  on  these  first  prin- 
ciples of  progressive  pedagogy : 

1.  Without  true   self-expression   there   can   be   no   real 
language  growth. 

2.  Expression,  to  be  worth  while,  must  be  given,  not  for 
the  sake  of  expression,  but  for  the  sake  of  service. 

3.  To  lead  the  learner  along  the  way  of  serviceable  self- 
expression,  the  teacher,  first  of  all,  must  meet  the  pupil 
where  he  lives  and  must  make  opportunity  for  him  to  express 
himself,  not  some  one  else. 

4.  To  help  him  express  himself  most  effectively,   the 
teacher  must  guide  the  pupil  tactfully  to  realize  the  best 
expression  of  which  he  is  capable,  without  destroying  his 
individuality  and  spontaneity  of  expression. 

5.  Facts  and  forms  of  speech  and  principles  of  structure 
and  syntax  essential  to  a  mastery  of  the  mother  tongue,  can 
be  best  taught  only  as  they  are  connected  closely  with  the 
learner's  daily  life  language. 

General  Methods  of  Language  Teaching  Compared 

Two  main  methods  obtain  in  language  as  in  other 
kinds  of  teaching:  The  Formal  and  The  Vitalized 

The  distinctive  differences  between  these  general 
systems,  as  far  as  language  is  concerned,  is  shown  in  the 
following  table  of  comparison: 

The  Formal  Method  The  Vitalized  Method 
i.    Makes  the  language  les-  i.    Makes  the  language  les- 
son  mainly   an   informa-  son    mainly    an    express- 
tional  study.  ional  study. 


6  LIVE   LANGUAGE   LESSONS 


2.  Teaches    the    forms    of  2.   Teaches    the    forms    of 
speech    apart    from     the  speech  with  constant  appli- 
learner's  language.  cation  in  daily  use. 

3.  Uses  literary  models  for  3.    Uses  literary  models  to 
purposes  of  imitation.  stimulate  creative  effort. 

4.  Makes  composition  work  4.    Makes  composition  work 
a  reproductive  process.  a  productive  process. 

5.  Deals  with  language  as  5.    Deals  with  language  as 
something  perfected.  something  perfecting. 

6.  Is  essentially  autocratic  6.    Is  essentially  democratic 
in  spirit.  in  spirit. 

In  Live  Language  Lessons  the  vitalized,  or  natural 
method  of  teaching  is  accepted  without  compromise. 
This  natural  method  has  been  proved  to  be  educationally 
sound  and  right. 

This  system  is  democratic  both  in  spirit  and  in  method . 
It  offers  every  pupil  equal  opportunity  with  every  other 
pupil  to  participate  freely  in  the  exercises  provided  for 
socialized  self-expression.  As  each  gives  he  gains.  In 
contributing  of  his  individual  thought  and  experiences 
for  the  benefit  of  all,  the  pupil  gets  truly  motivated 
practice  in  speaking  and  in  writing. 

The  actual  speech  needs  of  the  pupil  are  revealed  in 
this  free  expression.  Discovering  these,  the  teacher  is 
enabled  more  intelligently  to  direct  the  formal  work  and 
the  drills  necessary  to  make  sure  the  principles  and 
practice  that  make  for  any  effective  use  of  language. 

In  other  words,  there  are  three  types  of  lessons  in  Live 
Language  work:  (i)  The  Discovery  Lesson;  (2)  Develop- 
ment Lessons;  (3)  Drill  Exercises.  Each  of  these  types  is 
concretely  discussed  in  Section  III  of  this  manual. 


INTRODUCTION 


The  teacher's  part  in  the  process  is  also  threefold: 
(i)  To  create  conditions  wherein  the  pupil  feels  impelled 
not  compelled  to  express  himself.  (2)  To  help  him  by 
encouraging  suggestions  and  guiding  questions  to  bring 
out  his  best  thoughts  and  experiences  clearly  and  well. 
(3)  To  teach,  through  well  aimed  lessons,  the  essential 
principles  of  speech;  and,  through  positive  drills,  to  fix 
right  language  habits  in  tongue  and  in  fingers. 

PLAN  OF  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

I.  Composition  Studies  on  Real  Life  Subjects 

1.  Oral  work  emphasized 

2.  Written    work    closely    correlated    with    special 

emphasis  on  real  letter  writing 

II.  Practical  Exercises  in 

1.  Vocabulary  Building 

(a)  Word  finding  games 

(b)  Exercises  aimed  at  overcoming  the  slang 

habit 

(c)  Studies  in  word  accuracy 

2.  Applied  Grammar 

(a)  Language  games  and  correct- usage  drills 

(b)  Exercises  in  sentence  building 

(c)  Systematic  study  of  practical  grammar 

3.  Enunciation  and  Pronunciation 

(a)  Exercises  on  troublesome  sounds 

(b)  Elementary  studies  in  speech  art 

4.  Punctuation  and  Paragraphing 

(a)  Practice  in  punctuation 

(b)  Study  of  essential  rules  of  punctuation 


LIVE   LANGUAGE   LESSONS 


EIGHTH 

Historical 
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The  Poets 
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Stories  of 
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Orchard  and 
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0 

Fairs  and 
Festivals 
Entertainments 

Our  Country's 
Choice  Stones 
Animal  Tales 

0 

FIFTH 

{ii 

U 

jl 

Indian  Life 
The 
Thanksgiving 
Feast 

Thanksgiving 
Fun 
Spring  Sports 

Indian  and 
Pilgrim  Tales 
Hero  Stories 

<r.  ,n 

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Autumn  Gif 
May  Flower 

Little  Folk 
of 
Other  Land 

Fun  in  the 
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Hallowe'en 
Plays,  Aroun 
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Snowtime 
Poems  and 
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Spring  Songs 
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ERAL  SUBJECTS 
AND  AIMS 

Historical 

Patriotism 
and 
Citizenship 

Industrial 

Practical 
Service 

Nature 

Intelligent 
Love  of 
Outdoor  Life 

Geographical 

Widening 
the 
Child's  World 

Recreational 

Wholesome 
Play  and 
Health 

Literary  Art 

Right  Reading 
Habits 

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S9UI1   8JJ1  XJS    3HX 

INTRODUCTION 


The  titles  given  in  the  chart  indicate  only  the  main 
study  centers  for  oral  and  written  expression. 

Points  to  Remember 

1.  The  composition  work  follows  the  lines  of  real  life 
interest. 

2.  Each  grade  is  given  its  own  rich  part  in  working  out 
this  vital  and  varied  program. 

3.  Every  other  study  is  reinforced  by  this  live  composi- 
tion plan. 

Practical  Suggestions 

1.  To  promote  proper  team  work  each  grade  should  be 
held,  not  slavishly,  but  rather  faithfully  within  the  field 
assigned  to  it.  There  is  a  wealth  of  work  given  each  class  to 
do,  and  it  is  unfair  to  any  class  to  have  the  cream  of  interest 
in  its  work  taken  by  preceding  classes. 

2.  Subjects  should  always  be  adapted  and  enriched  as 
need  demands;  other  good  subjects  that  fit  in  with  the  plan 
may  be  used  at  times. 

3.  In  the  lower  grades,  where  the  seasonal  arrangement 
is  followed,    the  work  may  be  readily  rearranged  where 
necessary  to  fit  in  with  a  mid-year  promotion  plan. 


SECTION  TWO 
THE  WORK  BY  GRADES 


LANGUAGE  AIMS  IN  THE  ELEMENTARY  GRADES 
Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Grades 

The  following  are   the  main  objectives  to  be   kept 
clear  in  the  language  work  of  the  Elementary  School: 

1.  Encourage   fluency   and   spontaneity   of    expression. 
The  pupils,  however,  should  be  held  gently  but  firmly  to 
accuracy  in  using  the  simpler  forms  of  speech  and  of  writing. 

2.  Let  oral  work  predominate.      Three-fourths  of  the 
time,  at  least,  should  be  given  to  oral  expression  in  these 
grades;  but  written  work  growing  out  from  the  oral  should 
gradually  be  increased. 

3.  Exercises   in   enunciation  should  be  regularly  given. 
Work  especially  for  clear  resonance,  and  to  overcome  lazy 
jaws,  lips,  and  tongues. 

4.  Strive  to  correct  wrong  speech  habits  by  fixing  right 
ones.   Tongue  training  drills  in  the  form  of  language  games 
and  drills  on  the  " Tables  of  Correct  Usage"  are  important 
here.   The  simple  rules  and  reasons  governing  correct  usage 
may  be  given  with  the  drill  exercises. 

5.  Beginnings  in  practical  grammar  —  sentence   studies 
and  the  parts  of  speech,  with  easier  inflections   in  number, 
tense,  and  case  —  are  made  in  the  sixth  grade. 

6.  Vocabulary-building  exercises,  closely  correlated  with 
the  expression  studies,  are  regularly  given. 

7.  Punctuation    practice,    exercises     in    paragraphing, 
simpler  letter  forms,  and  the  easier  rules  for  capitalization 
are  systematically  given   to   train   the  fingers    into    right 
habits. 

13 


14  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Fluency  with  accuracy  is  the  watchword.  The  aim 
now  is  to  work  for  right  language  habits,  but  not  at 
the  expense  of  naturalness  and  freedom  of  expression. 


THIRD  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — FIRST  BOOK,  PART  I* 
GENERAL  OUTLINE 

Two  closely  blended  main  lines  of  work  are  pro- 
vided for  this  grade : 

I.    Expression  Studies      II.    Skill-Cultivating  Exercises 

These  are  grouped  in  a  series  of  ten  general  language 
studies  as  follows: 

1.  Summer  Stories 

Talks  about  summer  fun.  Word  games. 

Telling  animal  stories.  Writing  about  animals. 

Talks  about  farm  animals.          Animal  language  games. ' 

2.  Little  Laborers 

Talks  about  children's  work.      Making  worker  rhymes. 
Telling  of  work  in  school.  Word  games  about  workers. 

Stories  about  workers.  Writing  about  work. 

3.  Autumn  Days 

Fall  stories  and  poems.  Autumn  language  games. 

Talks  about  corn.  Writing  about  corn. 

A  wigwam  story  hour.  Finding  Indian  words. 

4.    Thanksgiving  Time 

Talks  about  Thanksgivi  ig.         Thanksgiving  alphabet. 
First  Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving  language  game. 

Talks  about  foods.  Word  game  about  cooking. 

*  The  work  of  the  Elementary  Book  is  explained  in  the  Manual 
beginning  with  the  fourth  grade,  page  67. 


16 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

5.     Santa  Glaus  Stories 

Christmas  stories  and  songs.       Christmas  language  games. 
Christmas  plays.  Writing  Santa  letters. 

6.     Snowflake  Fun 

Telling  of  snow  fun.  Finding  winter  words. 

Talks  about  Eskimos.  Snowball  language  games. 

Winter  night  stories.  Writing  about  winter. 

7.    The  Fireside  Story  Hour 

Telling  fairy  tales.  Finding  words  for  fables. 

Playing  fairy  stories.  Fairy  language  games. 

Stories  of  valentines.  Postman  language  game. 

Little  American  stories.  Making  American  stories. 

8.     Springtime  Stories 

Playing  a  story  of  spring.  Spring  guessing  game. 

Telling  bird  stories  Finding  bird  words. 

Describing  favorite  birds.  Bird  language  games. 

9.    Plays  and  Playmates 

Talks  about  spring  fun.  Spring  language  games. 

Telling  about  pets.  Animal  action  words. 

More  animal  stories.  Animal  language  game. 

10.    Vacation  Fun 

Talks  about  water  sports.  Making  a  story. 

Vacation  time  fun.  Fishing  language  games. 

Review  of  language  games  and  other  tongue- training 
exercises. 

SPECIAL  CAUTIONS  FOR   THIRD    GRADE   WORK 

i.    Pupils  will  need  guidance  at  the  beginning  to 
learn  how  to  use  their  first  language  text  properly. 


THIRD   GRADE   LANGUAGE  17 

2.  Do  not  expect  them  to  read  fluently  all  the  stories 
and  directions,  or  to  fill  every  blank  in  the  vocabulary 
exercises.    Give  them  tactful  help  until  they  can  help 
themselves. 

3.  The  beginnings  in  written  work  should  be  care- 
fully made.    The  sentence  building,  letter- writing,  and 
other  compositions  should  be  worked  out  in  the  beginning 
by  the  class  working  together  under  the  tactful  guidance 
of  the  teacher. 

4.  Too  much  writing  and  copying  should  not  be 
given  as  seat  work.    For  the  study  period,  use  word- 
finding  games,  the  reading  of  stories  and  poems  in  the 
book,  with  occasional  very  brief  written  compositions 
and  little  letters.    Make  this  work  simple  and  watch 
it  carefully. 

5.  The  lessons  are  best  taught  in  the  season  thereof. 
It  will  be  observed  that  they  are  planned  to  follow  the 
school  year  somewhat  closely.    Where  promotions  are 
made  at  the  half  year,  the  seasonal  arrangement  need 
not  be  seriously  disturbed.    For  example,  if  the  grade 
begins  its  work  in  January  or  in  February,  its  first 
study  should  be  Snowflake  Fun  or  The  Fireside  Story 
Hour.     The  following  fall  the  class  can  begin  with 
Summer  Stories  or  Little  Laborers. 

6.  The  course  is  planned  to  cover  a  full  year  of  nine 
or  ten  months'  work  with  a  lesson  practically  every  day. 
If  the  course  must  be  shortened  to  fit  the  short  term  or 
ungraded  school,  certain  exercises  from  different  studies 
may  be  omitted.     For  such   a  minimum  course   the 
following  is  suggested:   Omit  exercises  3,  5,  n,  18,  26, 
33,  35,  39,  45,  46,  5<>>  51,  58>  62,  63,  70,  71,  79,81,  and  82. 


i8 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


7.  The  best  results  will  come  from  following  the 
plan,  not  slavishly,  but  rather  faithfully.    Ample  free- 
dom is  given  both  pupils  and  teacher  within  the  general 
studies  provided.    The  lessons  should  always  be  adapt- 
ed to  the  class,  and  at  times  other  exercises  more  closely 
connected  with  their  needs  may  be  substituted. 

8.  Only  as  each  grade  does  the  part  assigned  to  it 
is  effective  team  work  possible.   The  part  given  to  the 
third  grade  has  already  been  presented  in  brief.    The 
following  is  a  summary  showing  the  various  forms  dealt 
with  in  the  tongue  and  finger- training  games  and  drills: 

PRACTICAL  HELPS  WITH  DEMONSTRATION 
.    LESSONS 

DRILL  EXERCISE   CHART 


Correct  Usage 

Punctuation 

Enunciation 

Language  games  to  over- 

Use of  the 

Games  and 

come 

period 

drills  on 

"Can  I  go?"  "It's  me." 

i.    To  close  sen- 

can 

"I  fell  in"       "I  laid  down" 

tences 

catch 

"have  got"     "throwed" 

2.  After  abbrevia- 

and 

"aint"            "knowed" 

tion  of  months 

just 

"et"  for  "ate"  "give"  for 

3.   After  initials 

get 

<<         » 
gave 

Use  of  the  capital 

for 

"I  seen"         "has  stole" 

i.   To  begin  sen- 

from 

"I  done"        "has  took" 

tences 

going 

"If  I  was"      "become" 

2.    In  writing 

running 

"There  was    "he  run" 

names 

doing 

two".. 

3.    Pronoun  I 

playing 

The  drills  suggested  in 
and  motivated  whenever 


this  chart  should  be  vitalized 
possible.    Other  type  trouble- 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  19 

makers  may  also  be  dealt  with  as  need  requires, ;  but 
the  foregoing  forms  should  not  be  neglected.  .,» 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE— SUMMER  STORIES 

The  following  program  covering  about  two  weeks' 
work,  is  provided  in  connection  with  this  opening 
study: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Telling  of  vacation  fun.  Word-finding  game. 

Study  of  the  circus  poem.         Blank-filling  exercise. 
Telling  jokes  and  riddles.          Finding  answers. 
Talks  about  ahimal  tricks.        Writing  about  animals. 
Talks  about  pets.  Finding  words. 

Playing  animal  games.  *  Making  a  zoo. 

Talking  about  useful  animals.  Writing  sentences. 

Lesson  i.  Sharing  Our  Vacation  Fun 

On  opening  this  First  Book  of  Live  Language  Lessons, 
the  pupil  is  greeted  with  two  pictures  suggesting  fun 
in  summertime.  He  meets  also  this  inviting  question : 

"Did  you  ever  play  'trading  stories'?" 

Then  follows  the  stimulating  suggestion  that  he 
share  with  his  classmates  some  story  of  fun  he  has  had 
during  the  vacation  just  past. 

Over  the  leaf  is  a  story  of  some  real  boys  who  had 
"  A  Circus  Chase."  This  should  be  read  or  told  interest- 
ingly by  the  teacher.  Then  appropriate  questions  such 
as  are  suggested  may  be  given  to  lead  the  pupils  to 
tell  similar  experiences. 

As  they  talk,  the  teacher  should  tactfully  draw  out 
their  best  thoughts,  keeping  their  expression  moving 
forward  within  the  general  lines  of  the  lesson.  ,i  : 


2O 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


Seat  work.  While  the  interest  to  tell  the  stories  is 
.still  keen,  the  work  should  be  changed.  During  the 
study  period  following,  the  pupils  may  be  allowed  to 
express  themselves  in  another  way,  by  making  a  circus 
parade,  or  a  zoo,  or  in  otherwise  reflecting  the  main 
thought  of  the  lesson  given. 

Written  work  should  not  be  required  with  this  first 
lesson,  other  than  the  spelling  of  a  few  names  of  animals 
to  make  a  word  circus.  The  result  of  this  seat  work  is 
likely  to  be  something  like  this: 


sLsC4>-T^ 


A   good   spelling   lesson   on   the   simpler   names   of 
animals  may  be  given  here  if  desired. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  21 

Lesson  2.  Finding  Words 

During  the  second  recitation  the  pupils  should  be 
guided  in  completing  the  poem  called  "The  Circus 
Parade."  This  is  a  vocabulary-building  exercise. 

Do  not  expect  every  pupil  to  find  every  word.  If 
each  can  find  one  or  two  or  three,  that  will  be  enough. 
The  lesson  should  be  made  a  cooperative  exercise. 
Working  under  the  lead  of  the  teacher,  the  pupils 
may  be  led  to  fill  the  blanks  in  one  or  two  stanzas, 
then  they  may  be  left  to  fill  the  blanks  in  the  other 
stanzas  for  themselves.  They  should  then  prepare  to 
read  the  completed  poem. 

Lesson  3.  Riddles 

Here  is  a  lively  language  exercise  with  opportunity 
to  train  the  pupils'  sense  of  humor.  It  should  begin  as 
a  conversation  exercise  about  the  clown  or  other  come- 
dians. Following  this  should  come  an  exchange  of 
jokes  and  riddles. 

Seat  Work.  As  suggested,  the  pupils  may  find  the 
answers  to  the  riddles  given.  Other  riddles  may  be 
added  on  the  board. 

Lesson  4.  Animal  Tricks 

This  is  another  conversation  lesson.  The  pupils,  led 
by  questions  in  the  text,  or  by  reading  the  little  story 
given  about  the  monkey,  will  tell  of  their  experiences 
with  animals  they  have  seen  at  shows  or  on  the  farm 
and  elsewhere.  They  should  be  encouraged  to  talk 
freely,  but  should  be  guided  tactfully  to  keep  to  the 
story.  Some  of  their  simpler  mistakes  may  possibly 


22  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

be  corrected,  but  not  in  such  a  way  as  to  check  their 
stories. 

Seat  Work .  The  writing  of  little  stories  of  two,  three, 
four,  or  five  sentences  like  those  in  the  text  about  some 
animal  may  be  done  here.  Preceding  this,  a  little  com- 
position may  be  written  on  the  board,  with  the  pupils' 
help.  The  suggestion  that  each  sentence  has  a  captain, 
or  capital  letter  to  lead  it,  stimulates  a  little  interest 
in  this  form.  Attention  may  be  directed  to  the  period 
also. 

The  following  are  two  little  compositions  produced 
by  third  grade  pupils  during  this  exercise: 
THE  BEAR 

The  bear  lives  in  a  den.  He  eats  meat.  He  has  to  be  penned  up  in 
a  cage  at  the  park,  so  he  won't  bite  people.  The  bear  is  black.  Some- 
times there  are  white  bears  too. 

THE  DEER 

The  deer  lives  in  the  woods.  It  eats  grass  and  roots.  It  is  a  swift 
runner.  It  has  antlers. 

Lesson  5.   Training  Animals 

Use  the  questions  given  in  the  text  and  others  to 
bring  out  an  exchange  of  little  stories  about  cats,  dogs, 
colts,  calves,  and  other  animals.  Most  pupils  of  this 
grade  have  had  some  experience  directly  or  indirectly 
with  some  animal.  Opportunity  to  cultivate  kindness 
to  pets  will  arise  during  the  lesson. 

Seat  Work.  The  vocabulary  exercises  on  "Goat 
Troubles"  should  be  given  as  composite  work  at  the 
beginning, 'then  the  pupils  should  be  allowed  to  com- 
plete the  story  and  to  be  ready  to  read  it.  Do  not  re- 
quire pupils  to  copy  this  exercise.  Rather  number  the 
blanks  and  find  words  for  each  number. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  23 

Lesson  6.  Animal  Games 

Opportunity  is  given  here  for  vitalized  training  in 
correct  usage.  Each  game  proposed  gives  the  pupil  a 
chance  to  express  himself  and  to  get  real  practice  in 
using  rightly  forms  commonly  misused.  The  "Noah's 
Ark"  game,  for  example,  drills  on  may,  into,  and  am 
not. 

Seat  Work.  Another  spelling  exercise  on  animal 
names  may  be  given  here.  Let  the  pupils  draw  an  ark 
or  a  zoo.  They  may  have  in  the  ark  all  the  animals 
whose  names  they  can  spell  correctly.  Compare  the 
results  with  those  obtained  in  making  a  circus  parade. 

Lesson  7.  A  Zoo  Guessing  Game 
Here  the  pupils  are  given  a  chance  to  make  a  little 
description  by  filling  the  blanks.  The  seat  work  pre- 
cedes the  recitation.  When  the  pupils  are  ready,  each 
may  read  his  little  composition  and  the  class  may  guess 
as  directed. 

Lesson  8.  Talks  about  Farm  Animals 
This  work  should  be  directed  towards  helping  the 
pupils  to  appreciate  our  animal  friends.  In  the  country, 
the  children  will  have  much  first-hand  experience  to 
give.  In  the  city,  the  pupils  may  need  some  help  in 
learning  what  animals  really  mean  to  them.  Their 
cow  is  "the  milk  bottle,"  and  the  butter  "tub,"  or 
"carton";  but  they  should  learn  all  about  the  produc- 
tion of  these  things.  In  every  class  will  be  found  pupils 
who  can  give  first-hand  experiences  with  farm  animals. 
Seat  Work.  Writing  about  Animals.  Each  pupil 
should  produce  a  little  story  of  several  sentences  about 


24  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

some  useful  animal  or  bird  found  on  the  farm.    Here 
is  a  story  one  pupil  produced: 

MY  COLT 

I  have  a  little  colt  named  Bessie.  She  is  as  black  as  ink  with  only  a 
white  spot  in  her  forehead.  She  is  too  little  to  ride,  but  some  day  when 
she  grows  up  she  will  make  a  fine  saddle  pony.  I  will  use  her  to  help 
me  drive  the  cows  home.  — Fred  Thompson. 

This  may  be  illustrated  with  pictures,  or  drawings. 
The  result  should  be  a  little  booklet  produced  by  the 

class. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TWO— LITTLE  LABORERS 

The  purpose  of  this  study  is  to  cultivate  in  the  pupils 
the  right  spirit  towards  work.  Conversation  lessons, 
stories,  and  poems  dealing  with  work  common  to  the 
lives  of  most  little  folk  are  given.  With  these  are 
vocabulary-building  and  tongue- training  exercises  to 
help  the  pupil  find  the  words  he  needs,  and  to  train  his 
tongue  to  use  various  troublesome  forms  correctly. 

Out  of  the  work  should  come  little  plays  about 
workers  and  booklets  containing  little  stories  and 
sketches  from  the  little  workers.  Each  pupil  should 
contribute  his  part.  About  three  weeks'  time  may  well 
be  given  to  the  working  out  of  the  various  lessons  con- 
nected with  the  study. 

The  following  plan  may  be  taken  as  suggestive: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Talking  about  work  for  boys  Drawing,  cutting  pictures  of 

and  girls.  work. 

Finding  words.  Spelling  exercise. 

Getting  Ready  for  School  Writing  little  order  rules. 

(Poem  Study).  Helps  for  the  schoolroom. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  25 

Talks  about  school  work.  Writing  the  Lark  story. 

Stories  about  workers.  Cutting  and  drawing  exer- 

Playing  the  stories.  cise. 

Words  for  workers.  Spelling  exercise. 

Language  game.  Writing    sentences    using 

Drills  on  "did"  and  "done."  "isn't." 

Talks  about  making  and  Writing  sentences  on  "did" 

doing.  and  "done." 

Making  a  worker's  book.  Writing  little  worker  stories. 

Reading  the  book  of  stories.  Making  a  worker's  book. 

The  essential  thing  in  working  out  the  language 
study  is  to  keep  the  work  moving  towards  the  central 
purpose.  Each  lesson  may  be  different,  but  each  should 
connect  with  the  idea  of  work.  The  pupils  need  to  be 
trained  in  a  spirit  of  home  helpfulness,  and  to  have 
cultivated  in  them  an  appreciation  of  those  who  are 
constantly  working  for  them. 

Lesson  i.  A  Talk  about  Work 

In  the  opening  lesson,  the  keynote  is  struck  playfully 
by  the  suggestion  and  question:  "All  play  and  no  work 
makes  Jack  a  dull  boy."  "What  do  you  do  every  day 
to  keep  from  getting  lazy?  " 

This  suggestion  and  the  question  generally  bring  a 
hearty  response.  The  main  work  of  the  teacher  then  is  to 
guide  the  expression  and  to  hold  the  pupils  to  the  telling 
of  definite  little  duties  they  actually  do  and  can  perform. 
Their  tendency  often  is  to  talk  in  "glittering  general- 
ities." 

Lead  them  to  talk  on  simple  things,  such  as  keeping 
their  toys  in  place,  keeping  their  clothes  clean  and  tidy, 


26  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

washing  their  hands  and  faces  without  bothering  mother, 
and  doing  other  little  acts  of  helpfulness. 

Lesson  2.   Finding  Words 

The  little  verses  for  vocabulary  work  may  be  filled 
out  partly  in  class  or  left  for  the  pupils  to  complete 
by  themselves.  They  suggest  the  spirit  of  the  general 
study. 

Lesson  3.   Getting  Ready  for  School 

The  poem,  "Getting  Ready  for  School,"  is  a  homely 
old  rhyme,  but  it  will  leave  a  distinct  impression.  It 
offers,  too,  many  suggestions  that  will  stimulate  the 
pupils  to  talk  about  what  to  do  about  getting  ready 
the  night  before,  what  makes  tardy  boys  and  girls. 

Let  the  poem  be  read  by  the  teacher  or  by  the  teacher 
and  the  pupils.  Such  questions  as  those  given  will  help 
the  pupils  to  enjoy  the  poem. 

For  seat  work,  each  may  write  a  little  line  or  two  of 
good  advice  for  boys  and  girls  about  taking  care  of 
their  books  and  clothes  and  about  getting  up  promptly 
and  dressing  quickly.  Make  some  motto  suggested 
by  the  poem,  "  Getting  Ready  for  School." 

Lesson  4.  Talks  about  School  Work 
This  lesson  follows  naturally  the  poem  study.  Here 
is  an  opportunity  for  some  helpful  expression  work 
looking  to  the  betterment  of  the  school.  Stimulate 
pupils  to  talk  about  how  to  study,  how  to  help  one 
another,  and  how  to  keep  their  desks  in  order. 

Seat  Work.  A  set  of  rules  for  the  classroom  may  be 
worked  out.  The  best  set  could  be  chosen  to  be  used 
by  the  school. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  27 

Lesson  5.   Stories  about  Workers 

Here  is  opportunity  (i)  to  blend  language  with 
literature;  (2)  to  bring  back  some  fine  old  tales  that 
should  not  be  forgotten;  (3)  to  have  a  story- telling 
exercise;  (4)  to  dramatize  some  of  the  stories  that  make 
interesting  little  plays. 

Seat  Work .  "  The  Larks  in  the  Wheat  Field  "  may  be 
studied.  This  offers  another  kind  of  beginning  com- 
position, the  building  of  a  story  by  answering  questions. 
This  work  may  be  begun  as  a  class  exercise  and  com- 
pleted by  the  pupils. 

The  succeeding  lessons,  " Words  for  Workers," 
"'Game  for  Little  Workers,"  "How  Things  are  Pro- 
duced," can  be  followed  without  trouble.  They  may  be 
expanded,  as  suggested  on  page  27  (text),  by  adding 
spelling  exercises,  by  having  the  pupils  make  little  plays 
representing  workers  of  various  kinds,  and  by  the  mak- 
ing of  a  little  worker's  booklet. 

The  following  are  suggestive  spelling  exercises: 

1.  Make  an  outline  of  a  garden  and  write  therein  names 
of  plants  you  would  like  to  grow;  as,  peas,  beans,  carrots, 
turnips,  corn,  potatoes,  lettuce,  onions. 

2.  Draw  an  outline  of  a  tool  shop  and  put  into  it  garden 
tools;  as,  hoe,  rake,  spade,  shovel,  plow. 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE— AUTUMN  DAYS 

This  study  is  opened  \vdth  a  merry  rhyme  about 
harvest  days.  Through  reading  it  or  any  of  the  other 
fall  poems  suggested,  the  pupils  may  be  put  in  the  spirit 
of  the  season  and  set  talking  about  the  beauties  and 
gifts  of  autumn.  Their  expression  should  be  tactfully 


28 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

guided  along  the  lines  suggested  by  the  following  pro- 
gram of  lessons  and  exercises,  which  is  planned  to 
cover  about  three  weeks*  time : 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Reading  and  talking  about  Memorizing    a    choice     fall 

fall  poems.  poem. 

Talking  about  the  harvest.  Harvest  spelling  game. 

Telling  stories  of  nutting  time.  Drawing  or  cutting  squirrels. 

Nuts-to-crack  game.  Finding  words  for  poems. 

Talks  about  fireside  fun.  Completing  popcorn  story. 

An  Indian  corn  story.  Writing  about  corn. 

Stories  of  the  winds.  Drawing  or  cutting  wigwam. 

Wigwam  story  hour.  Writing  about  papoose  home. 

The  Jack-o '-Lantern  story.  Cutting  or  drawing  Jack-o'- 

Lantern. 

More  stories  of  Pilgrims.  Writing  about  Hallowe'en. 

During  these  exercises  little  booklets  should  be  made 
with  pictures,  stories,  poems,  and  cuttings  suggesting 
the  various  phases  of  the  work.  Each  pupil  may 
make  his  own  booklet;  or  a  book  may  be  made  by  the 
whole  class. 

Lesson  i.   Fall  Poems 

In  this  exercise  language  and  literature  are  blended. 
The  poem  given  and  those  suggested  should  be  enjoyed. 
Perhaps  several  fall  poems,  suited  to  this  grade  may  be 
found  in  the  readers  and  studied.  Reading  and  language 
may  often  be  thus  correlated  to  the  advantage  of  both 
studies. 

Lead  the  children  to  talk  freely  about  the  pictures 
and  thoughts  suggested  by  the  poems  studied.  Make 
this  work  a  language  exercise. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


29 


Seat  Work.  Each  pupil  should  choose  some  stanza 
or  lines  that  he  likes  and  memorize  them  to  recite  the 
following  day. 

Lesson  2.    Talks  about  the  Harvest 

The  thought  here  is  to  stir  the  pupils  to  appreciate 
the  gifts  of  autumn.  Let  each  tell  of  some  product  of 
the  fields  or  forest.  Perhaps  some  pupils  have  raised 
some  vegetable,  grain,  or  fruit  or  flower.  Interest  in 
the  exercise  may  be  stimulated  by  having  the  pupils 
bring  samples  to  the  class.  A  little  fair  may  be  planned. 

Seat  Work.  As  suggested  in  the  text,  let  the  pupils 
have  a  spelling  game,  filling  the  barn  or  cellar  they 
draw  with  such  words  as  they  can  spell  correctly.  For 
illustration  : 


Lesson  3.   Stories  of  Nutting  Time 

Pupils  should  be  led  to  talk  about  their  fun  in  gather- 
ing nuts,  or  their  fireside  fun  while  cracking  them. 


30  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  exercises  may  be  enriched  by  having  them  tell  of 
the  squirrel,  the  monkey,  and  other  animals  that  eat 
nuts. 

Seat  Work.  Cutting  and  drawing  pictures  of  the 
squirrel  or  monkey,  and  of  the  forest  will  be  interesting 
here  to  illustrate  the  story. 

Lesson  4.  Live  Language  Game 
The  "Nuts  to  Crack"  guessing  game  should  be  played 
here.  Other  games  may  be  added  as,  "What  have  you  in 
your  barn  or  granary?",  each  pupil  answering  in  turn, 
"I  have  corn."  "I  have  beans."  The  teacher  should 
make  good  use  of  the  language  game  to  train  the  pupils' 
ears  and  tongues  to  hear  and  to  use  correct  forms. 

Seat  Work.  Have  the  pupils  find  the  words  to  com- 
plete the  poem.  Some  definite  help  should  be  given  them 
in  this  exercise. 

Lesson  5.   Popcorn  Stories 

Use  the  questions  in  the  text  and  others,  and  have  a 
conversation  exercise.  Lead  the  pupils  to  talk  about 
candy  making,  popping  corn,  and  other  fireside  pastimes. 

Seat  Work.  The  blank-filling  exercise,  "Popcorn 
Fun,"  will  serve  well.  Again  the  pupils  should  be  given 
some  help  in  finding  the  right  words. 

Lesson  6.  An  Indian  Corn  Story 
This  lesson  blends  naturally  with  the  spirit  of  autumn 
and  the  harvest.  The  story  of  Mondamin  should  be 
read  and  enjoyed.  Using  questions  in  the  text,  lead  the 
pupils  to  talk  about  corn,  its  worth  to  the  Indians,  and 
to  all  of  us.  Pupils  of  our  land  should  appreciate  the 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  31 

Indian  corn  as  one  of  our  distinctively  American  plants. 
Corn  has  been  a  great  help  in  the  making  of  our  country. 
Tell  the  story  of  the  Pilgrims  and  the  corn.  How  also 
did  parched  corn  serve  the  pioneers?  Stories  of  cotton, 
wheat,  and  other  staple  products  of  the  farm  may  be 
taken  up  if  time  permits,  or  if  a  change  of  work  seems 
desirable. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  write  a  little  composi- 
tion about  corn,  following  the  suggestions  given  in  the 
book.  They  may  illustrate  their  little  sketches  with 
drawings  or  clippings  from  magazines  and  catalogs. 

Lesson  7.  A  Wigwam  Story  Hour 
A  number  of  Indian  story-books  are  suggested 
here.  Any  one  of  these  will  give  stories  for  the  story 
hour.  Even  better  than  these  book  stories  may 
be  the  original  stories  the  children  can  gather  from 
their  parents  and  older  folk  of  the  city  about  Indians, 
bears,  buffalo,  or  other  things.  The  pupils  will  enjoy 
acting  out  this  story  hour,  sitting  around  the  wigwam 
and  each  telling  a  tale. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  blank- filling  exercise  orTtrie 
Papoose  Home.  The  pupils  should  now  be  able  to 
fill  most  of  the  blanks  in  this  exercise. 

Lesson  8.   The  Four  Winds 

The  myth  of  "The  Four  Winds"  is  full  of  the  autumn 
spirit.  Let  this  poem  be  read  by  the  teacher.  Using;  t^e 
questions  in  the  text  and  other  suggestions,  lead  tjie 
pupils  to  enjoy  and  talk  about  the  fall  pictures  it  suggests 
—falling  leaves,  the  migrating  of  the  birds,  and/  the 
coming  of  Jack  Frost.  See  Longfellow's  "Hiawatha  "  for 


32 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

the  story  of  the  winds.  Be  ready  to  tell  the  story  to  the 
children.  Let  the  pupils  dramatize  the  stories  told  by 
these  poems  to  help  them  vivify  the  pictures. 

Seat  Work.  Gather  and  mount  autumn  leaves,  or 
draw  or  cut  wigwam  scenes,  suggesting  the  stories  of  the 
winds. 

Lesson  9.  The  Indians  and  the  Jack-oVLantern 
A  charming  story  in  which  is  blended  the  Indians,  the 
Pilgrims,  and  the  Hallowe'en  time  is  given  here.  This 
story  may  be  told,  read,  and  re- told  and  dramatized. 
Other  stories  of  Pilgrim  days  are  also  suggested  for 
enjoyment.  These  may  be  read  or  told. 

Concluding  Work.  If  the  various  exercises  suggested 
have  been  well  done  and  the  results  kept,  each  pupil  can 
now  assemble  his  work  in  the  form  of  an  autumn  booklet 
containing  original  and  other  poems,  drawings,  cuttings, 
and  compositions  of  his  own.  On  the  cover  of  this  he 
may  draw  a  Jack-o '-Lantern,  a  wigwam,  or  autumn 
leaves,  or  some  other  design.  The  best  work  may  be 
selected  and  presented  in  the  form  of  a  program  for 
parents  or  other  pupils. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR— THANKSGIVING 
TIME 

Like  the  preceding  ones,  this  study  is  opened  with  a 
live  picture  suggestive  of  the  subject.  What  shall  be 
done  with  the  picture?  Ask  such  questions  as  will  lead 
the  pupils  to  enjoy  and  to  talk  about  it.  For  example: 

Where  did  the  boy  get  the  big  bird?  How  did  he 
catch  it?  What  is  he  going  to  do  with  it?  How  does  he 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


33 


feel  about  having  the  turkey  for  Thanksgiving?    Make 
a  little  story  about  the  boy  and  his  turkey. 

A  few  questions  of  this  sort  will  stimulate  interesting 
expression  and  create  the  right  atmosphere  for  the 
enjoyable  Thanksgiving  studies  provided.  From  about 
November  first  until  Thanksgiving  the  time  may  well 
be  spent  working  out  the  program  of  exercises  that 
follow. 

For  Seat  Work 
Writing    little    story    of 

Thanksgiving. 
Spelling  words    from    the 

woods. 

Learning  to  use  words. 
Cutting  or  drawing  pictures 


For  the  Recitation 

Reading  and  talking  about 
the  poem. 

Telling  stories  of  grand- 
parents. 

Telling  story  of  first  Thanks- 
giving. 

Playing  story  of  first  Thanks- 
giving. 

The  Thanksgiving  alphabet. 

Catching  the  turkey  game. 

The  harvest  home  game. 

Cooking  game. 

Telling  food  stories. 

Giving  a  Thanksgiving 
program. 


of  Pilgrims. 

Finding  words. 

Drawing   or    cutting    barn- 
yard. 

Harvest  spelling  lesson. 

Making  a  cook  book. 

Writing  little  stories. 


From  this  general  study  may  come,  as  suggested,  one 
or  several  little  booklets — a  play  or  a  general  program  of 
stories,  poems,  songs,  and  plays.  A  rich  variety  of  exer- 
cises is  offered.  The  plan  is  flexible. 

Lesson  i.   Picture  and  Poem  Study 
As  directed,  the  teacher  should  use  the  picture  to  lead 
into  the  poem  and  the  reading  of  the  poem  should  bring 


34 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

forth  not  only  enjoyment  of  the  poem,  but  original 
expression  and  a  sharing  of  experiences  by  the  pupils 
of  their  Thanksgiving  visits  and  other  like  fun. 

Make  this  study  an  opportunity  to  foster  a  sweet  home 
spirit  and  an  appreciation  of  parents  and  grandparents. 

Seat  Work.  Blending  with  the  lesson,  the  seat  work 
may  well  be  an  expression  of  the  pupils'  thoughts  in  a 
few  simple  sentences  about  Thanksgiving.  The  follow- 
ing are  such  as  may  be  expected : 

GRANDMA'S  STORY 

Once  when  we  were  out  to  Grandma's  for  Thanksgiving  she  told  me 
a  story.  She  said  that  when  Grandpa  and  she  moved  to  Kansas  they 
went  in  a  "prairie  schooner."  It  was  drawn  by  oxen.  They  lived  in  a 
sod  house.  They  had  to  live  on  buffalo  meat  and  corn.  She  was  thankful 
that  those  days  were  past. 

Lesson  2.    Pennyroyal  Pie 

Let  this  jolly  little  story  of  Shadrach  be  enjoyed  first. 
Then  lead  the  pupils  to  share  their  own  little  experiences 
or  to  tell  stories  their  parents  and  grandparents  may  have 
told  them  about  similar  experiences.  The  little  tale 
should  bring  forth  a  great  many  experiences  of  the  woods 
and  hills,  or  of  picnics  and  the  pantry. 

Seat  Work.  A  spelling  lesson  making  the  forest  by 
drawing  trees  and  writing  names  of  them  may  be  given 
here: 


Lesson  3.    The  First  Thanksgiving 
Two  or  three  recitation  periods  may  be  given  to  this 
study. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  35 

First,  read  and  talk  about  the  story.  For  seat  work  study 
the  difficult  words  and  use  them  in  sentences. 

Second,  play  the  story  informally.  For  seat  work  cut  or 
draw  pictures  of  the  Pilgrims  and  Indians. 

Third,  if  desired,  present  the  play  for  another  grade. 

Lesson  4.  A  Thanksgiving  Dinner  Alphabet 
Two  or  three  lessons  may  be  given  to  this  study.  Do 
not  expect  each  child  to  fill  every  blank.  The  study 
should  be  begun  as  a  cooperative  exercise.  Lead  the 
pupils  to  tell  of  the  various  things  that  may  be  had  for 
Thanksgiving  dinners.  Then  let  them  begin  to  complete 
the  rhyme  by  finding  the  right  words.  Afterwards, 
according  to  the  size  and  ability  of  the  class,  let  the 
pupils  during  seat  work  either  take  one  or  more  letters 
and  complete  the  rhyme  about  these;  or,  if  they  can,  let 
them  try  to  make  the  alphabet  in  full.  They  need  not 
copy  it  in  full;  but  they  may  copy  just  the  words  to  go 
with  each  letter.  For  example: 

Line  i  round  red 

Line  2  tasty  dumplings 

If  the  pupils  wish  to  make  other  rhymes  than  those 
given  for  various  letters,  let  them  do  it. 

Lesson  5.    Thanksgiving  Games 
Here  is  a  series  of  live  games  to  train  the  tongue  in 

overcoming  such  trouble-makers  as  " kin, "" ketch,"  and 

"aint."    Several  periods  may  be  taken  for  this  work. 

One  game  each  day  played  with  zest  will  be  enough. 
For  suggestions  as  to  seat  work  following  each  game, 

see  the  program  of  seat  work  exercises  given  on  page  33. 


36  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  6.    How  Foods  are  Produced  for  Us 

Following  the  little  talks  suggested  by  the  titles,  each 
pupil  may  choose  his  topic  and  write  a  little  story  about 
it.  The  composition  may  be  in  form  of  an  autobiography ; 
as, 

THE  BREAD  STORY 

I  was  first  a  kernel  of  wheat.  The  farmer  planted  me  in  the  big  field. 
I  grew  first  into  a  green  blade  like  grass.  Then  the  golden  sunshine 
turned  me  yellow. 

I  was  cut  down  and  put  through  the  threshing  machine.  It  did  not 
feel  very  good  to  be  knocked  about.  Then  I  was  taken  to  mill  and 
ground  into  flour.  After  this  I  was  baked  into  bread.  Don't  I  look 
good  enough  to  eat? 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— SANTA   GLAUS 
STORIES 

Christmas  is  the  crest  of  the  year.  In  primary  pupils 
especially,  the  spirit  of  this  holiday  is  strong.  It  is  easy 
to  turn  this  spirit  to  the  purposes  of  language,  literature, 
art,  music,  and  other  studies.  The  following  plan  offers 
a  chance  to  fill  the  time  between  Thanksgiving  and 
Christmas  with  a  series  of  rich  lessons  which  may 
culminate  if  desired  in  a  delightful  Christmas  program: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Reading  and  talking  about  Drawing  or  cutting  illustra- 

"A  Visit  from  St.  Nicho-          dons. 

las." 

Enjoying    Christmas    songs  Making  a  word   Christmas 

and  poems.  tree. 

Telling  Santa  Claus  stories.  Reading    Christmas    stories 

and  songs. 

Talking  about  Mother  Goose  Making  song  and  story-book. 

folk. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 37 

Playing  Mother  Goose  games  Illustrating  a  nursery  rhyme. 

Introducing  the  family. 

A  sitting  game.  Finding  sit  and  sat  in  sen- 

A  dinner  game.  tences. 

Toytime  game.  Writing  sentences  using  eat 

A  class  letter  to  Santa  Claus.  and  ate. 

Enjoying  the  Mother  Goose  Filling  blanks  with  give  and 

play.  gave. 

Rehearsing  parts  for  Christ-  Individual  letters  to  Santa  or 

mas  program.  to  others. 

Presenting  the  program  be-  Learning  the  parts. 

fore  other  class  or  parents. 

The  central  aim  of  the  foregoing  program  is  to  create 

the  proper  appreciation  and  remembrance  of  Christmas 
time. 

Lesson  i.    A  Visit  from  St.  Nicholas 

No  Christmas  seems  complete  without  a  reading  of 
this  children's  classic.  Let  the  teacher  first  read  it 
expressively,  then  using  the  questions  and  suggestions 
given  in  the  text,  with  others,  lead  the  children  to  see  the 
various  pictures  suggested  by  the  poem,  and  to  talk 
about  the  experiences  and  thoughts  they  bring  forth. 
In  this  and  in  the  studies  that  follow  on  "Christmas 
Poems  and  Stories,"  literature  and  language  work  are 
blended.  The  prime  purpose,  however,  here  is  language. 
The  lessons  will  fail  of  this  purpose  unless  self-expression 
in  the  form  of  talks,  story-telling,  and  dramatizing  come 
from  the  work. 

Two  days,  at  least,  may  well  be  given  to  the  poem. 

Seat  Work.  First,  let  the  pupils  have  a  word  study. 
Various  expressions  in  the  poem  should  be  understood; 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


as,  "miniature  sleigh,"  " coursers  they  came."  Some  of 
the  words  may  be  learned.  A  good  spelling  game  here  is 
the  making  of  a  word  Christmas  tree.  For  illustration: 


For  a  second  day's  seat  work,  the  pupils  may  draw  an 
illustration  for  the  poem;  as,  "Santa  in  his  sleigh," 
"The  stockings  on  the  chimney  place,"  or  some  other 
picture  that  comes  to  them  from  the  study.  Or  they  may 
make  a  picture  of  Santa  in  his  toy  shop. 

Lesson  2.    Christmas  Poems  and  Stories 

Language  and  literature  are  here  blended.  The  pupils 
may  first  read  such  choice  poems  and  stories  as  those 
given,  or  other  good  ones  they  and  the  teacher  may  find 


THIRD   GRADE   LANGUAGE  -    39 

about  Santa  and  Christmas.  Some  of  the  poems,  set  to 
music,  may  be  sung  during  the  music  exercises.  Choice 
poems,  or  parts  of  them,  may  be  learned  and  recited. 

For  language  work  the  pupils  may  be  led  to  talk  about 
the  poems,  to  tell  and  to  dramatize  some  of  the  best 
stories.  A  Santa  Claus  song  and  story  hour  should  result. 
Several  recitations  may  thus  be  filled  with  interest  and 
profit. 

Seat  Work.   These  suggestions  should  be  followed: 

1.  Making  Christmas  story  and  song  book.    Each  pupil 
may  contribute  one  story  or  poem  to  the  book.   These  may 
be  copied  or  clipped  and  pasted.   Pictures  and  drawings  will 
help. 

2.  Reading  stories  to  be  told  and  learning  poems  to  be 
recited  or  sung.  A  recital  of  these  for  another  grade  will  be  a 
helpful  practice  leading  towards  the  final  Christmas  program. 

Lesson  3.   A  Mother  Goose  Christmas  Party 

Several  charming  lessons  may  be  worked  out  around 
this  subject,  as  follows: 

1.  Talking  about  Mother  Goose  Folk.    The  pupils  may 
describe  them  and  recite  rhymes  about  them.    For  Seat 
Work,  the  pupils  may  write  nursery  rhymes. 

2.  Introducing  the   Mother  Goose  Family.    This  is  a 
motivated  memory  exercise.  Let  each  pupil  recite  the  rhyme 
that  tells  of  the  character  selected.   For  Seat  Work,  draw  or 
cut  pictures  of  Mother  Goose  Village.    A  booklet  may  be 
made,  each  pupil  making  one  part. 

3.  Playing  "Seating  the  Guests,"  " Dinner  Game,"  and 
the  "Joy  Time  Game. "  The  object  here  is  tongue  training  on 
the  troublesome  forms :  sit,  sat,  eat,  ate,  give,  gave. 


40^ LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Other  forms  may  be  reviewed  here  if  desired.  Guess- 
ing games  may  be  played  such  as  those  on  "  What  toy  did 
Santa  bring  you?"  or  on  "What  did  you  see  on  the 
Christmas  tree?"  or  "Guess,  what  I  have." 

The  teacher  should  follow  up  these  forms  till  they 
are  mastered.  Let  each  try  to  create  interesting  games 
and  drills  to  add  to  those  suggested. 

Lesson  4.    A  Mother  Goose  Play 

The  beginnings  toward  creating  original  plays  are 
made  in  this  exercise.  In  this  lesson,  such  a  play  is  given 
in  full.  Later,  in  "The  Fairy  Wand,"  page  98  (text), 
only  the  opening  part  is  given. 

Let  the  pupils  enjoy  the  Mother  Goose  play  by  first 
reading  it,  then  let  them  take  the  various  parts  and  play 
it.  Every  child  in  the  class  should  be  given  some  part, 
even  though  he  may  say  little  or  nothing. 

If  time  permits,  another  play  may  be  worked  out  on 
Mother  Goose  Folk,  or  this  play  may  be  enlarged. 

The  final  work  should  be  the  presenting  of  a  program 
of  Santa  songs  and  stories,  and  the  play  on  the  Mother 
Goose  Family. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SIX— SNOWFLAKE  FUN 

This  study  is  intended  to  bring  out  the  winter  recrea- 
tion of  pupils.  In  some  parts  of  the  country  no  snow  falls ; 
but  most  children  will  have  had  some  snow  fun,  or  will 
have  heard  about  it  from  others.  Those  who  have  not 
will  enjoy  learning  of  such  wintry  sport  and  telling  of 
other  sports  they  have  in  place  of  snowflake  fun. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


The  following  program  is  offered  for  about  two  weeks' 
work: 


For  the  Recitation 

Poem    and    picture    study, 

"Making  a  Snow  Man." 

Study  of  winter  words. 

A  snowball  language  game. 

Talking  about  winter  fun. 
Telling  about  Eskimos. 


For  Seat  Work 

Cutting  or  drawing  sleds, 
snow  men,  snow  forts  and 
snow  houses. 

Finding  wintry  words  for 
blanks. 

Writing  sentences  using 
threw. 

Writing  a  winter  story. 

Drawing  or  cutting  an  Es- 
kimo house. 

Writing  "has  stolen,"  "have 
stolen"  in  sentences. 

Writing  an  animal  story. 


Making  a  winter  booklet. 


Mother   Hubbard's  geese 

game. 
Reading   poem,    "Winter 

Night,"  and  talking  about 

it. 
Winter  clothing  stories. 

These  lessons  offer  opportunity  to  direct  the  pupils 
towards  wholesome  outdoor  recreation,  to  give  them 
sensible  suggestions  on  kindness  to  animals,  on  true 
charity,  on  health,  on  appreciating  those  who  work  to 
give  us  warm  clothing  for  winter  time. 

Lesson  i.    The  Snow  Man 

This  poem-picture  study  should  stimulate  a  lively 
exchange  of  winter  experiences.  Use  the  questions  in 
text,  and  others,  to  lead  the  pupils  to  talk  of  their  fun. 
By  guiding  questions,  help  them  to  tell  clearly  their 
stories,  and  tactfully  correct  some  of  their  little  errors 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


of  speech.  If  they  say,  wuz,  I  seen,  or  make  other  little 
slips,  repeat  the  correct  form.  Be  careful,  however,  not 
to  disturb  their  thought  in  making  these  corrections. 

Seat  Work.  Let  pupils  tell,  by  drawings  or  cuttings, 
some  snowtime  tale.  The  following  result,  from  such 
seat  work,  suggests  what  may  be  expected. 


Lesson  2.    Finding  Winter  Words 

This  should  be  begun  as  a  cooperative  exercise.  The 
class,  under  the  lead  of  the  teacher,  may  first  talk  of  the 
words  expressive  of  winter  days.  Some  of  the  sentences 
in  the  exercise  should  be  completed. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  then  be  left  to  find  the 
other  words  to  fill  the  various  blanks. 

Lesson  3.    The  Snowball  Game 

Play  the  Snowball  game  as  suggested. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  make  sentences  using 
threw,  grew,  knew,  blew,  drew;  as,  I  threw  a  snowball 
at  Ned.  He  grew  angry.  I  knew  it  would  snow.  The 
wind  blew  hard.  I  drew  my  sled  up  the  hill. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  43 

Lesson  4.     Snow  Stories 

A  real  composition  with  a  kodak  picture  of  a  real  snow 
house  made  by  a  third  grade  pupil  is  offered  here  to 
stimulate  the  pupils.  After  reading  the  story  and  talk- 
ing about  the  picture,  given  with  this  lesson,  the  pupils 
will  be  ready  to  compose  like  stories  of  their  own  during 
the  Seat  Work  period.  These  should  be  corrected  and 
made  into  a  little  illustrated  booklet  of  winter  stories. 
The  following  is  an  uncorru  ted  story  which  came  from  a 
third-grade  pupil  during  such  an  exercise: 

HUMPTY  DUMPTY,  THE  SNOW  MAN 

I  made  a  snowman.  He  looked  like  Humpty  Dumpty,  so  I  called 
him  that.  I  made  a  wall  of  snow  and  sat  him  on  the  wall.  He  fell  down, 
and  could  not  put  him  togather  again.  That  was  Humpty  Dumpty 
adventurs. 

The  spirit  of  this  little  story  is  excellent.  It  needs 
only  a  few  mechanical  corrections  to  make  it  a  perfect 
little  story  of  its  kind.  Some  spelling  errors  are  in  it. 
The  pupil  needs  help  in  ending  his  sentences  and  in 
using  sat  correctly. 

Other  papers  will  similarly  reveal  the  need  for  definite 
help.  A  little  lesson  or  two  on  the  period  and  on  spell- 
ing, may  well  follow  this  written  expression  work.  Make 
the  spelling  lesson  of  words  found  misspelled  in  the 
papers;  as,  together,  adventures.  Also  use  other  words 
they  may  need  in  writing  of  their  snow  fun. 

Lesson  5.     Stories  of  Eskimos 

Here  is  a  chance  to  blend  the  geography  and  language 
lessons  to  the  advantage  of  both  subjects.  The  Seat 
Work  is  definitely  given  in  the  text. 


44 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  6.     Mother  Hubbard's  Geese 

Training  on  the  forms  "I"  and  "have  stolen,"  also 
in  enunciating  can,  get,  catch,  is  here  given  in  a  lively 
language  game. 

Lesson  7.    Winter  Night 

The  beautiful  wintry  home  pictures  of  little  animals 
and  of  baby  should  be  enjoyed  first  through  reading  and 
talking  about  the  poem.  But  the  follow-up  questions 
wherein  the  pupils  are  led  to  give  their  own  pictures  and 
experiences  reveal  the  main  end  of  the  lesson. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  suggestions  in  the  book. 
Another  little  booklet  of  nature  stories  may  be  created, 
if  time  permits.  The  stories  may  tell  for  example,  How 
the  birds  keep  warm  in  winter,  Where  the  squirrels 
hide  from  the  cold,  and  How  the  mice  keep  from  freezing. 

Lesson  8.     How  People  Keep  Warm 

This  lesson  blends  with  geography.  It  may  be 
expanded  into  several  exercises,  if  desired,  since  it 
reaches  into  many  fields.  Interesting  talks  from  the 
pupils  own  experiences  in  travel  and  in  watching  how 
clothing  is  made,  may  be  given.  Little  illustrated 
sketches  are  also  possible.  Opportunity  is  here  given  to 
do  some  Junior  Red  Cross  work  in  helping  the  poor 
people  keep  warm. 

Lesson  9.     Review  Tongue-Training  Drills 

Exercises  suited  to  the  pupils'  language  needs  for  drills 
on  type  trouble-makers,  as,  seen,  done,  may,  have,  sat, 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  45 

ate,  took,  isn't,  also,  just,  can,  get,  catch,  forget,  singing, 
ringing,  and  others  may  be  given.    For  example: 

What  birds  have  you  seen  this  winter? 

I  saw  a  sparrow.  I  saw  a  crow.   I  saw  a  chickadee. 

When  did  you  do  your  language  work? 

I  did  mine  this  morning.   I  did  mine  last  night. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN— THE  FIRESIDE 
STORY  HOUR 

This  study  divides  into  three  main  parts:  i.  Fairy 
Tales  and  Legends ;  2.  Valentine  Fun;  and  3.  Stories  for 
Little  Americans. 

The  central  aim  is  to  give  the  pupils  opportunity  to 
share  in  the  telling  and  in  the  playing  of  choice  stories. 
Wholesome  recreation  and  a  spirit  of  patriotism  should 
result  from  the  work.  Language  and  literature  and 
history  may  be  well  blended  here. 

PART   ONE.        FAIRY  TALES  AND   LEGENDS 

Two  weeks  of  interesting  work,  or  more  can  be 
worked  out  in  connection  with  the  following  program : 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Telling  old  time  tales.  Reading  fairy  stories. 

Telling  and  playing  fables.  Writing  a  fable. 

Playing  a  fairy  story.  Writing  about  the  months. 

Creating  a  fairy  play.  Making  a ' '  Puppet  Theater. " 

Each  of  the  foregoing  exercises  may  well  be  expanded 
into  two  or  more  lessons  by  following  the  suggestions 
given. 


46 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  i.    The  Story  Hour 

Let  this  begin  by  having  each  child  recall  and  retell 
some  choice  old  story  he  has  heard  or  read;  as,  Cinder- 
ella, Tom  Thumb,  and  others  suggested. 

The  story  might  be  told  by  one  pupil.  It  is  better, 
however,  to  have  one  pupil  begin  and  to  have  each  of  the 
class  follow  up  the  tale  till  it  is  completed.  Such  work 
brings  into  action  all  of  the  pupils.  Two  or  three  stories 
may  perhaps  be  retold  in  this  way  by  the  class  during 
the  recitation. 

Seat  Work.  Let  the  pupils  under  tactful  guidance 
read  other  good  stones  from  supplemental  library  books 
or  from  a  story-book  which  they  have  been  asked,  in 
preparation  for  this  hour,  to  bring  from  home.  If  desired 
they  may  exchange  their  home  books  during  this  work. 

Lesson  2.    A  Play  Story  Hour 

During  this  exercise  some  of  the  stories  that  lend 
themselves  best  to  dramatizing  may  be  played,  as, 
"The  Bremen  Town  Musicians."  The  class  may  be 
divided,  if  large  enough,  into  several  groups,  each  group 
playing  some  story. 

Seat  Work.  In  preparation  for  the  next  lesson,  let  the 
pupils  each  read  and  prepare  to  tell  one  of  the  fables 
suggested  under  Exercise  48. 

Lesson  3.     Telling  Fables 

This  recitation  should  be  given  to  individual  story 
telling.  Since  the  fable  is  usually  short,  each  pupil 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  47 

may  give  one  of  these  stories  in  full.  If  the  class  is 
large,  two  or  even  three  periods  may  be  taken  for  the 
work. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  vocabulary-building  and  punc- 
tuation exercises  in  Exercise  48.  Only  one  of  the  fables 
there  given  to  copy  and  complete  should  be  done  during 
a  study  period.  Even  this,  with  some  third  grade  pupils 
may  prove  too  much.  If  so,  reduce  the  exercise.  Enough 
work  is  here  given  for  two  or  three  periods. 

The  idea  is  first,  to  find  the  fitting  words;  second,  to 
study  quotation  marks  and  exclamation  points.  The 
study  of  these  marks  should  end  with  copying  and 
understanding  them  for  reading  purposes  only. 

Lesson  4.    Fairy  Tales  to  Play 

The  first  of  these  tales,  "The  Twelve  Months/'  is 
given  as  a  story.  Let  the  pupils  read  the  story,  then 
play  it  informally. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may,  as  suggested,  write 
sentences  about  the  various  months.  Or  they  may 
write  of  the  different  seasons,  or  draw  pictures  illustrat- 
ing each  month  or  season. 

The  second  exercise,  "The  Fairy  Wand,"  is  a  care- 
fully graded  exercise  in  creating  a  play.  The  beginning 
of  the  play  should  be  read,  then  following  the  outline, 
the  pupils  may  finish  the  little  drama  orally  and  play  it 
first  for  themselves;  then,  if  desired,  for  some  other  grade. 

Seat  Work.  During  the  creating  and  practicing  of 
the  play,  the  pupils  may  make  little  theaters,  or  "puppet 
theaters,"  as  they  are  sometimes  called.  The  materials 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


for  these  may  be  readily  provided  by  each  pupil  him- 
self— small  wood  or  cardboard  boxes,  a  piece  of  white 
cloth,  or  paper  and  cord  for  the  curtain,  and  cardboard 
for  the  scenery  and  the  actors.  The  art  work  may  be 
done  with  colored  crayons. 


The  creating  of  these  little  play  houses  and  the  staging 
of  some  fairy  tale  or  other  story  play  makes  delightful 
seat  work,  to  fill  several  days. 

A  charming  program  consisting  of  stories,  songs,  and 
plays  suggestive  of  fairy  and  fable  and  legend  land, 
should  grow  out  of  these  interesting  exercises. 

Lesson  5.     Fairy  Wand  Games 

Following  the  suggestions  in  the  text  drill  on  the 
troublesome  forms,  taken,  saw,  have  seen,  lying,  and 
were,  by  playing  the  live  language  games  there  given. 

Review  games  on  other  forms,  gave,  sat,  have,  am  not, 
and  isn't,  may  also  be  given  here.  See  the  games  pre- 
viously given  on  these  forms. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  49 

Seat  Work.  A  little  fairy  story  in  which  some  of  these 
trouble-makers  are  rightly  used  may  be  given.  For 
example  the  following  exercise  can  be  copied  on  the 
board : 

One  day  a  little  fairy  left  her  wand on  the  grass.  A 

mischievous  elf it.  He it  and away. 

"Oh,  who  has my  wand?"  cried  the  fairy. 

"Have  you it,  butterfly?"  she  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  the  butterfly,  "I a  brownie  take  it  and 

away." 

Let  the  pupils  complete  the  little  story  in  their  own 
way,  using  saw,  seen,  have,  gave,  lying,  took,  ran,  taken, 
run. 

PART   TWO.     VALENTINE    FUN 

A  briefer  study,  planned  to  provide  a  week  of  work,  is 
given  here  as  follows : 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Talking  about  St.  Valentine      Making  valentines. 

and  Valentine  day  fun. 

Writing  valentine  verse.  Completing  the  letters. 

A  postman  game. 
Writing  valentine  letters. 

The  purpose  of  the  foregoing  work  is  to  lead  the 
children  to  celebrate  Valentine  day  in  the  proper  spirit 
of  friendship  and  wholesome  play. 

The  program  is  flexible;  it  may  be  readily  increased 
according  to  the  time  that  can  be  given  to  the  work. 

The  live  language  game,  aimed  at  overcoming  the 
"have  got"  habit,  may  be  supplemented  with  other 
games.  Develop  the  postoffice  idea.  To  play  the  post- 


50  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

office  game,  let  a  pupil  be  chosen  to  act  as  postmaster. 
Other  pupils  in  turn  may  ask:  "Have  you  a  letter  for 
(naming  themselves)?"  The  postmaster  answers,  "No, 
I  have  nothing  for  you."  Or  " Yes,  I  have  a  letter, "  and 
hands  it  to  the  inquirer.  Tongue-training  exercises  on 
other  type  trouble-makers  may  be  given,  also,  if  time 
permits. 

In  letter  writing,  the  pupils  should  be  given  ringer 
practice  on  the  letter  forms  on  the  use  of  capitals  to  begin 
names  and  sentences,  and  on  the  use  of  periods.  Let 
them  write  the  forms  for  various  letters  on  the  black- 
board or  on  paper,  thus : 


Creston,  Iowa,  Feb.  14,  1921. 
Dear  Grandma, 


Lovingly  yours, 

MARY. 


PART  THREE.      STORIES  FOR  LITTLE  AMERICANS 

Another  brief  study,  planned  to  provide  a  week's 
work,  is  here  offered.  The  purpose  of  this  work  is  to 
cultivate  the  spirit  of  right-minded  patriotism  in  the 
pupils. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE      '  51 

Lesson  i.    Hetty  Marvin 

In  this  true  story  of  an  honest  little  patriot  is  a  real 
lesson  in  true  Americanism.  Let  the  pupils  read  the 
story. 

Using  the  questions  following  the  story  and  other 
suggestions,  lead  the  pupils  to  express  themselves.  After- 
wards they  may  play  the  story  in  an  informal  way. 

Seat  Work.  A  study  of  other  stories  suggested  in  the 
text  may  be  taken  in  preparation  for  the  following  day's 
story  hour  recitation. 

Lesson  2.    An  American  Story  Hour 

The  pupils  here  may  tell  or  perhaps  play  some  of  the 
stories  they  have  heard  or  read.  "Hetty  Marvin" 
makes  a  charming  little  play. 

Seat  Work.  Fill  the  blanks  in  the  story  given  of 
Washington  and  the  Corporal. 

Lesson  3.    Washington  and  the  Corporal 

Let  the  pupils  read  the  completed  story. 

Seat  Work.  Each  pupil  may  write  one  or  more 
sentences  expressive  of  his  thoughts  about  our  country. 
Such  questions  as  the  following  may  be  given  them:  In 
what  way  can  little  boys  and 'girls  show  that  they  are 
true  Americans? 

Let  each  pupil  draw  a  flag  or  other  patriotic  emblem  to 
illustrate  his  own  sentiment. 

A  PATRIOTIC  PROGRAM 

Growing  out  of  the  language,  reading,  and  music 
lessons  should  come  interesting  programs  to  be  given 


52 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

before  pupils  from  other  classes,  or  before  their  parents 
or  the  patrons.  The  following  is  a  suggestive  outline 
for  such  a  program: 

1.  Opening  song — "The  Star-Spangled  Banner." 

2.  Sketch  of  life  of  Lincoln  or  Washington. 

3.  Song  composed  by  class  to  tune  of  "Yankee  Doodle" 
or  other  popular  air. 

4.  Sentiments  of  little  Americans. 

5.  Play — "Hetty  Marvin"  or  other  patriotic  story. 

6.  Song — "America"  or  other  national  air. 

GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT— SPRINGTIME 
STORIES 

Springtime  comes  with  a  call  for  the  great  out-of- 
doors.  The  longing  for  nature — the  hills,  the  meadows, 
the  woods,  the  birds,  the  flowers, — finds  expression  even 
before  winter  ends,  in  a  spirit  of  schoolroom  restless- 
ness. This  longing  may  be  satisfied,  in  part  at  least,  by 
lessons  and  activities  in  the  school  that  express  the  spirit 
of  spring. 

The  following  program,  which  correlates  nature  and 
language  work  closely  in  a  series  of  exercises  provides 
interesting  work  for  three  or  four  weeks: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Reading  the  story  of  Perseph-      Making  a  Persephone  book- 
one,  let  including: 

Retelling  and  talking  about  Return  of  Persephone, 

the  story.  Flowers  of  spring. 

Planning  to  play  the  story.  Birds  of  spring. 

Playing  the  story.  Animals  of  spring. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  53 

Telling  about  plants.  Writing  stories  of  plants. 

Spring  guessing  game.  Writing  sentences  using  "I." 

Make-believe  bird  stories.  Bird-cage  spelling  game. 

The  growing  story.  Writing  a  bird  story. 

Word-finding  game.  Learning  a  bird  poem. 

Answering  bird  questions.  Writing  questions. 

Barnyard  birds.  Completing  a  bird  rhyme. 

Review  drills  on  troublesome  word  forms. 

Finger  practice  in  using  capitals  and  periods. 

The  central  purpose  of  the  foregoing  lessons  is  to 
cultivate  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  nature,  and  to 
lead  the  pupils  to  grow  plants  and  to  love  and  to  help 
protect  our  bird  friends. 

Lesson  i.    The  Story  of  Persephone 

This  story  may  first  be  read  by  the  teacher  or  by  the 
teacher  and  pupils  together  for  the  enjoyment  of  the 
story.  Following  this  the  class  may  be  led  by  question- 
ing to  talk  freely  about  the  poem.  Its  significance  should 
be  made  clear,  the  difficult  expressions  understood,  and 
the  names  pronounced.  For  guidance  see  the  glossary 
and  questions  following  the  story. 

Seat  Work.  A  Persephone  booklet  may  be  begun. 
This  may  take  any  of  several  forms.  Each  pupil  will 
desire  to  make  a  cover  design  with  a  picture  suggestive 
of  the  spirit  of  spring.  The  booklet  itself  may  be  given 
to  spring  flowers,  or  spring  birds,  or  animals  of  spring- 
time, the  squirrel,  the  rabbit,  and  others,  or  it  may 
include  all  these. 

Flowers  may  be  pressed  and  stitched  on  to  leaves, 
their  names  learned  or  written.  Sentences  telling  about 


54 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


them  may  also  be  written,  or  little  verses  composed. 
The  following  is  suggestive  of  this  type  of  work: 


The  pansy  always  has  a 
happy  smile.  I  love  its  cheery 
face  and  its  gay  colors. 


Pictures  of  birds  or  animals  may  be  drawn  or  clipped 
from  magazines  and  pasted  in  the  booklet  with  little 
stories  or  verses  about  them.  Several  study  periods  will 
be  necessary  to  complete  the  work. 

Meanwhile  during  the  recitations  the  pupils  may  go 
on  with  talks  about  the  coming  of  spring.  Spend  one  or 
more  lessons  on  the  birds,  one  or  more  on  the  flowers, 
and  others  on  the  insects  and  animals  of  springtime. 
Plan  also  to  play  the  story  of  Persephone,  following  the 
definite  suggestions  given  in  the  book.  Present  the  play 
that  is  created  before  other  pupils  and  patrons.  About 
ten  recitations  and  study  periods  may  well  be  filled  with 
all  of  the  work  suggested  in  this  general  lesson  on 
Persephone. 

Lesson  2.     Stories  of  Plants 

Here  is  a  practical  study  in  which  the  Home  Garden 
Cause  may  be  helped  along  and  good  language  work 
may  result: 

i.  Have  an  oral  lesson  in  which  the  pupils  are  led  to  talk 
about  plants  they  know  best. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  55 

2.  Let  each  write  a  story  in  the  first  person  about  some 
plant. 

3.  Have  a  plant  guessing  game  as  directed. 

4.  For  Seat  Work  let  the  pupils  write  sentences  about 
plants  using  the  pronoun  "I."   For  example:   I  grow  about 
six  inches  tall.    I  have  something  good  to  eat  on  me.   What 
plant  am  I?  Watch  for  the  right  use  of  capitals,  periods,  and 
question  marks. 

Lesson  3.    A  Springtime  Party 

Read  the  sketch  of  the  party,  and  the  story  of  the 
robin.  Lead  the  children  to  talk  about  bird  experiences. 

Seat  Work.  Let  each  pupil  draw  a  slip  containing 
the  name  of  a  bird.  Begin,  in  writing,  a  story  of  the  bird 
and  prepare  to  go  on  with  the  bird  story.  The  vocabulary 
exercise  given  under  Exercise  64  may  be  completed. 

Have  a  cooperative  story  of  some  bird  in  which  each 
pupil  in  turn  adds  a  sentence  or  paragraph  to  the  grow- 
ing story. 

Lesson  4.    A  Poem  Study 

This  "Bluebird  Song"  should  be  first  enjoyed  by 
having  the  pupils  study  and  read  it.  The  language 
purpose,  however,  should  be  kept  foremost.  Using  the 
questions  and  suggestions  in  the  text  let  the  pupils  be 
led  to  talk  about  the  pictures  the  poem  brings  and  to 
tell  of  their  flower  experiences. 

This,  or  some  other  bird  poem;  as,  "The  Brown 
Thrush,"  or  "Rollicking  Robin,"  may  be  memorized 
and  recited.  Here  again  language  and  literature  are 
blended  with  nature. 


56 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  5.    My  Favorite  Bird 

A  question  and  answer  study  is  given  here.  The  pupil 
answering  the  questions  rightly  will  create  a  little 
composition. 

Watch  that  the  capitals  and  periods  are  properly  used. 

Seat  Work.  Let  the  pupils  write  several  questions 
about  birds;  as,  Where  have  you  ever  found  a  bird's 
nest? 

Lesson  6.    Barnyard  Birds 

Here  is  a  practical  lesson  on  poultry.  Where  the 
pupils  have  had  no  experiences  like  those  called  for  by  the 
questions,  they  may  be  led  to  talk  about  other  birds, 
canaries,  parrots,  and  other  pets.  Kindness  in  care  of 
such  birds  should  be  cultivated. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  drill  given  in  the  text  on  the 
proper  use  of  were.  This  exercise  should  be  followed 
with  other  drills  to  fix  the  use  of  this  troublesome  form. 
Questions  and  answers  may  be  written;  as,  I  saw  a 
flock  of  birds  yesterday.  What  do  you  think  they  were 
doing? 

Were  they  flying?  No,  they  were  not  flying. 

Were  they  eating?  No,  they  were  not  eating. 

Were  they  chirping?  No,  they  were  not  chirping. 

What  were  they  doing?  They  were  chasing  a  hawk. 

For  Review.  Let  the  pupils  play  various  spring  games 
about  animals,  birds,  flowers,  trees,  and  insects.  Guess- 
ing games,  "What  animal  am  I?"  or  "What  flower 
have  I?"  "What  bird  is  it?"  "What  insect  did  you  see?" 
— and  others  wherein  the  proper  use  of  am  not,  have, 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  57 

isn't,  saw  and  other  troublesome  forms  is  required,  are 
easy  to  create  and  play. 

The  drill  just  suggested  gives  practice  not  only  on 
were,  but  on  words  like  singing,  flying,  chirping.  Similar 
drills  bringing  in  the  words  catch,  get,  can,  just,  should 
also  be  given. 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE— PLAYS  AND 
PLAYMATES 

PART  ONE.      SPRING  SPORTS 

Good  fun,  good  health,  and  good  language  work 
should  result  from  this  inviting  study.  The  pupils' 
natural  expression  about  their  plays  and  games  may  be 
turned  to  the  cultivation  of  a  spirit  of  fair  play  and 
wholesome  recreation.  In  the  following  flexible  program 
may  be  found  opportunity  to  make  a  series  of  rich 
lessons  to  fill  three  weeks  or  more  with  worth-while 
work: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Playtime  poems  and  songs.  Making  playtime  booklets. 

Describing  spring  games.  During  study  periods  each 
Telling  of  play  experiences.  pupil  may  create  a  play- 

A  playtime  story.  time   booklet   containing: 

Studying  action  words.  Various  games  described. 

JHide-and-Seek  poem.  Stories  of  playtime  by  pupils. 

Playing  language  games.  Pictures  of  plays  and  play- 
Finding  words  for  story,  mates  (clipping  "  kodak 
Enjoying  playtime  booklets.  shots,"  drawings). 

Review    tongue   and   finger  A  joke  page  or  more, 

training.  Poems  and  songs  of  play. 

Cartoons. 


$8  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

In  making  the  booklet  suggested,  let  the  work  be 
carried  forward  systematically.  Each  kind  of  work 
suggested  should  be  given  its  time  and  place,  but  let  the 
pupils  also  be  encouraged  in  making  original,  clever 
booklets. 

The  booklets  may  be  enjoyed  in  class  while  they  are 
being  prepared,  a  recitation  or  more  being  given  to  them. 
Afterwards  the  booklets  may  be  used  for  exhibition,  then 
returned  to  their  makers. 

Lesson  i.    The  Swing 

This  little  poem  by  Stevenson  offers  a  good  stimulus 
for  self-expression.  Let  it  be  read  not  in  a  "sing  song," 
but  as  a  " swing  song."  Then,  following  the  lead  of  the 
questions,  let  the  pupils  talk  freely  of  their  swing  fun 
arid  of  other  sports. 

Following  this  exercise,  other  play  poems  from  Steven- 
son, Riley,  Field,  and  other  writers  for  children  may  be 
enjoyed  and  talked  about.  The  following  poems  from 
the  authors  named  lend  themselves  to  this  work:  "The 
Wind,"  Stevenson;  "At  Aunty's  House,"  Riley;  "The 
Delectable  Ballad  of  the  Waller  Lot, "  Field. 

Two  or  three  recitations  wherein  reading  and  language 
are  blended,  may  be  given  to  this  work.  A  song  and  poem 
recital  on  playtime  may  result. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  suggestions  offered  in  the 
general  outline  on  Making  a  Playtime  Booklet.  This 
booklet  may  contain : 

i.  Cuttings  or  drawings  suggesting  various  plays;  as, 
Swinging,  Jumping  the  Rope,  Playing  Hide-and-Seek. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  59 

i 

2.  A  little  original  story  about  some  playtime  incident, 

as,  Building  a  Playhouse;  Indian  Fun;  Playing  Show;  Learn- 
ing to  Take  Care. 

3.  Jokes  for  playtime.    Cartoons  of  the  clean  and  clever 
sort  may  also  be  used. 

Each  page  within  the  book  should  deal  with  some- 
thing interesting  about  spring  sports.  Pupils  can  prob- 
ably prepare  one  page  each  day  during  the  time  given  to 
this  study. 

Lesson  2.    A  Game  of  Pomp 

The  story  given  here  should  be  enjoyed  first,  then  the 
pupils  should  be  led  to  tell  of  their  playtime  experiences 
suggested  by  the  "Pomp  Story."  Seat  Work  on  the 
Booklet  should  be  given. 

Lesson  3.    A  Study  of  Action  Words 

Expand  the  suggestion  at  the  bottom  of  page  132, 
(text),  and  the  seat  work  exercise,  page  133  (text),  into 
a  lively  lesson  on  action  words.  This  may  be  made 
dramatic  by  having  each  pupil  perform  some  action, 
while  the  others  find  words  to  describe  it.  The  spelling 
of  the  words  may  make  another  lesson. 

Lesson  4.    One,  Two,  Three 

Here  language  and  literature  again  are  blended. 
Read  the  poem,  and  following  the  lead  of  the  questions, 
talk  about  the  pictures  it  suggests. 

Seat  Work.  Let  pupils  continue  making  the  play- 
time booklet. 


60  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  5.    Playing  Language  Games 
Two  recitation  periods  or  more  may  be  given  to  train- 
ing the  pupils'  tongues  properly  to  use  am  not  and  are 
not. 

Writing  of  sentences  to  fix  these  forms  will  prove 
helpful.  Watch  here  the  use  of  capitals  and  periods  also. 

Lesson  6.    A  Vocabulary  Exercise 

The  story  " Where  Jack  Hid,"  should  first  be  com- 
pleted. Perhaps  now  every  pupil  can  work  out  the  story 
in  full.  When  the  story  is  completed,  let  it  be  read. 

A  follow-up  exercise  may  be  the  writing  of  original 
playtime  stories  by  the  pupils  for  their  booklets. 

Lesson  7.    Enjoying  the  Booklets 

One  or  two  recitations  may  be  given  to  hearing  the 
results  of  the  various  pupils'  work. 

Lesson  8.     Review  Drills  for  Tongue  Training 

Drills  for  right  resonance  on  such  words  as,  running, 
skipping,  playing,  dancing,  swinging. 

Drills  for  flexible  jaw  on  just,  can,  get,  catch,  and  other 
like  words. 

Drills  on  have,  am  not,  isn't,  taken,  thrown,  eaten, 
and  other  trouble-makers. 

Drills  on  the  use  of  the  period  and  the  question  mark 
to  close  sentences,  and  on  capitals  to  begin  sentences,  on 
names,  and  on  writing  the  pronoun  I. 

In  drilling  let  each  pupil  make  sentences  and  read 
aloud;  as, 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 61 

I  can  catch  a  rabbit. 
I  can  catch  a  squirrel. 
I  can  catch  a  mouse. 

Or,  divide  the  class  and  let  each  of  the  pupils  on  one 
side  ask  questions,  the  other  side  in  turn  answer;  as, 
Have  you  a  knife?  No,  I  haven't  a  knife. 
Have  you  seen  a  circus?  Yes,  I  saw  one  last  summer. 

Or,  give  rapid  drills  for  enunciation  by  having  pupils 
say  quickly  and  accurately: 

just,  can,  get,  catch.  Work  to  overcome  jaw  laziness, 
ringing,  swinging,  bringing.    Work  for  right  resonance. 

PART  TWO.     ANIMAL  PLAYMATES 

A  second  study  on  animals2  with  emphasis  on  pets,  is 
offered  here.  Choice  animal  story-books  in  which  good 
stories  may  be  found  are  also  suggested.  A  blended 
language,  literature  and  nature  study,  covering  about 
three  weeks'  work,  should  result.  The  lessons  may  be 
turned  to  practical  account  by  bringing  out  the  care  and 
value  of  our  animal  friends. 

Lesson  i.    Animals  at  Play 

The  little  story  of  " Lambs  at  Play"  is  intended 
to  stimulate  the  pupils  to  tell  of  their  observation  and 
experiences  in  watching  animals.  Read  the  story.  Ask 
the  questions  following  it  and  use  other  suggestions.  A 
lively  oral  lesson  should  result. 

Seat  Work.  Each  pupil  may  write  a  little  story  of  his 
own,  telling  of  the  play  of  some  pet  or  other  animal  he 
has  watched. 


62  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  2.     Animal  Actions 

A  vocabulary  lesson  on  action  words  is  given  here.  To 
this,  for  Seat  Work,  may  be  added  a  spelling  game  using 
the  list  of  words  given. 

Request  the  pupils  to  bring  to  school  for  the  following 
day  pictures  of  animals.  These  pictures  may  be  clipped 
from  papers  or  from  magazines,  or  kodak  pictures  may 
be  used 

Lesson  3.    Picture  Talks 

Using  the  pictures  found  in  the  language  or  in  other 
texts,  with  those  brought  in  by  the  pupils,  have  the 
children  give  picture  talks,  each  telling  what  the  picture 
suggests  to  him. 

Plan  also  to  make  an  animal  picture  and  story-book. 

Seat  Work.  Begin  the  creating  of  the  Animal  Picture 
and  Story-Book.  This  may  be  done  in  various  way.  Each 
pupil  may  choose  one  animal,  as  the  dog,  the  cat,  the 
squirrel,  the  colt,  the  rabbit,  the  raccoon,  the  donkey, 
the  calf,  or  any  other  animal  he  may  know  well,  and 
make  a  story  book  about  the  animal;  or  he  may  take 
several  different  animals. 

Several  study  periods  will  be  required  to  make  the 
book.  It  should  be  worked  out  one  page  at  a  time. 
Each  page  should  contain  a  sketch  or  story  a  paragraph 
in  length  telling  about  the  animal.  These  various 
sketches  illustrated,  will  make  the  book.  A  cover  with 
appropriate  design  should  be  used. 

Lessons  4,  5,  and  6,  may  be  made  into  story  hours  in 
which  choice  animal  tales  are  read  or  told. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE  63 

For  Lessons  7,8,9,  and  10,  let  the  pupils  play  again  the 
Noah's  Ark  and  Zoo  Games  found  at  the  beginning  of 
the  book.  Other  language  games,  like  The  Fairy  Wand 
may  also  be  played. 

Review  drills  should  also  be  given  on  words  like 
jumping,  kicking,  running,  galloping,  also  catch,  can, 
get,  just. 

For  practice  in  the  use  of  capitals  and  periods,  use  the 
exercise  suggested  on  page  144,  writing  sentences  about 
animals. 

Let  pupils  make  a  little  story  of  several  sentences 
about  some  animal;  as, 

PUSSY 

My  name  is  Snowball.  I  have  soft,  white  fur.  I  have  such  bright 
eyes  I  can  see  in  the  dark.  Sometimes  I  spy  a  little  mouse  stealing 
food.  Then  I  creep  up  and  jump.  The  mouse  wishes  he  had  not  stolen 
the  food. 

As  a  Final  Exercise  have  a  story-telling  hour,  perhaps 
for  another  class,  in  which  the  little  booklets  are  used. 
Let  the  stories  given  be  the  ones  created  by  the  children. 


PART  THREE.  WATER  SPORTS 

The  streams,  the  ponds,  the  seashore  now  begin  to 
call;  vacation  days  are  near.  The  children  will  be  ready 
to  recall  pleasures  they  have  had  or  pleasures  they 
anticipate.  Language  lessons  that  blend  with  nature 
and  with  geography  may  be  created  in  rich  variety. 
The  following  program  of  lessons  and  reviews  may  be 
extended  up  to  the  closing  days  of  school. 


64  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  i.    Water  Fun 

Following  the  lead  of  the  questions  given  in  the  text 
make  this  an  oral  exercise  in  which  the  pupils  share  their 
little  stories  of  fun  with  water. 

Seat  Work.  Writing  answers  to  the  questions  given 
and  asking  other  questions  for  practice  in  using  question 
marks  make  a  good  exercise. 

Lesson  2.    A  True  Fish  Story 

After  the  pupils  have  talked  about  the  little  boy  with 
his  fish  and  given  some  of  their  own  fish  stories,  they 
may  complete  the  story. 

Lesson  3.    A  Fishing  Game 

Two  interesting  games  are  given  here.  Let  one 
recitation  be  given  to  each. 

Seat  Work.  First,  make  a  fishing  pond.  Let  the 
pupils  have  all  the  fish  in  their  ponds  whose  names  they 
can  spell. 

Second,  follow  the  suggestions  under  Seat  Work,  page 
151  (text),  with  reference  to  making  sentences  about 
fish.  Watch  that  capitals  and  periods  are  used  correctly. 

Lesson  4.    Vacation  Fun 

Make  this  an  anticipation  lesson  in  which  the  pupils 
are  permitted  to  tell  of  the  fun  they  hope  to  have  during 
the  vacation. 

Seat  Work.  Writing  a  little  story  about  vacation 
may  be  followed  as  suggested  in  the  book. 


THIRD   GRADE  LANGUAGE 65 

Lesson  5.    The  Music  of  Nature 
This  blended   language-literature  lesson   should   be 

enjoyed  just  before  the  closing  day  of  the  course. 

The  time  that  may  be  left  between  Lesson  4,  just 

sketched,  and  the  closing  lesson  can  well  be  used  in 

review. 

REVIEW  EXERCISES 

Correct-Usage  Games  and  Drills 

on 
Twelve  Trouble-makers 

1.  Have.  7.  Did  and  done. 

2.  Am  not,  isn't,  aren't.  8.  Sit  and  sat. 

3.  Doesn't.  9.  Ate  and  eaten. 

4.  Was  and  were.  10.  Took  and  taken. 

5.  Saw  and  seen.  n.  Threw  and  thrown. 

6.  Can  and  may.  12.  In  and  into. 

Use  the  language  games  suggested  in  the  text.  Create 
others.  Have  questions  and  answers.  Use  the  black- 
board frequently,  having  the  pupils  write  the  correct 
forms  in  sentences. 

Enunciation  Exercise 

1.  Singing,  running,  jumping,  swinging — for  right  reso- 
nance. 

2.  Just,  can,  get,  catch — to  overcome  jaw  laziness. 

Training  the  Fingers 

i.  The  use  of  capitals  to  begin  sentences  and  names. 
Write  the  names  of  members  of  the  class.  Make  a  sentence 
about  each. 


66  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

2.  The  use  of  the  period  and  the  question  mark  in  closing 
sentences.  Let  one  part  of  the  class  write  questions  on  the 
board.    Others  may  write  answers. 

3.  Writing  a  real  vacation-time  letter  to  some  cousin, 
aunt,  uncle,  grandparent,  brother,  sister,  or  friend.    Make 
this  a  real  exercise.    Several  study  periods  may  be  given  to 
the  work.    Each  pupil  may  write  several  letters  and  mail 
them  if  he  desires  to  do  so. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — FIRST  BOOK,  PART  Two* 
GENERAL  OUTLINE 

Two  closely  blended  main  lines  of  work  are  planned 
for  this  grade : 

I.    Expression  Studies    II.     Skill-Cultivating  Exercises 
A  series  of  general  studies,  grouped  as  follows,  are 

provided : 

i.   Fun  in  the  Country 

Talks  about  country  fun.  Finding  farm  words. 

Writing   stories   of   country      Sentence  studies, 
fun.  Tongue-training  drills. 

Author  pictures  of  farm. 

2.   Autumn  Gifts 

Talks  about  harvest  time.  Finding  autumn  words. 

Writing  about  autumn  gifts.       Tongue-training  drills. 
Nature  study  stories.  Punctuation  practice. 

3.    Hallowe'en 

Talks  about  Hallowe'en.  Word-changing  game. 

Making  Hallowe'en  rhymes.       Tongue-training  drills 
Creating  Hallowe'en  play.          Reviews. 

4.    Home  Helpers 

Talks  about  cooking.  Tongue-training  drills. 

Home-helper  rhymes.  Enunciation  practice. 

Stories  of  pioneer  homes.  Reviews. 

*  Also  Elementary  Book,  Part  One. 

6? 


68  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

5.   Christmastide 

Christmas  stories.  Learning  letter  forms. 

Christmas  cards  and  letters.       Using  capitals  properly. 
Making  a  calendar.  Writing  abbreviations. 

6.    Snow  Sports 

Telling  of  wintry  fun.  Finding  winter  words. 

Writing  winter  stories.  Writing  quotations. 

Winter  stories  and  poems.  Learning  contractions. 

7.    Around  the  Fireside 

Enjoying  poems.  Tongue-training  games. 

Telling  of  fireside  fun.  Finger  practice  in  punctuat- 

Playing  fireside  games.  ing  and  using  capitals. 

8.    Little  Folk  of  Other  Lands 

Talking  of  foreign  children.        Tongue-training  reviews. 
Writing  of  foreign  children.        Other  trouble-makers. 
Creating  play  on  America.          Punctuation  practice. 

9.    Spring  Songs  and  Stories 

Enjoying  spring  songs.  Finding  springtime  words. 

Stories  of  springtime.  Making  springtime  play. 

10.    General  Review 

Language  "matches."  Tongue-training  drills. 

Practice  in  punctuating. 

ii.    Maytime 

Talks  on  Maytime  topics.  Writing  Mothers'  Day  let- 

Creating  flower  poems  and  a  ters. 

flower  play. 

Points  for  General  Guidance 

The  foregoing  plan  covers  a  full  year's  work.   About 
three  weeks  should  be  given,  in  the  season  thereof,  to 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 69 

each  general  study.  In  schools  where  pupils  are  pro- 
moted at  mid-year,  the  work  should  begin  with  "Snow 
Sports,"  or  "Around  the  Fireside." 

Where  necessary,  as  in  shorter  term  schools,  to  cut 
down  the  work,  the  following  exercises  may  best  be 
omitted:  22,  23,  34,  44,  50,  55,  61,  69,  70,  80,  81,  91,  94, 
and  1 08. 

Formal  Exercises  for  the  Fourth  Grade 

In  the  following  tables  are  found  the  troublesome 
forms  on  which  lessons  and  drills  are  given  systematically 
throughout  the  Fourth  Grade.  Other  trouble-makers 
may  be  dealt  with,  as  occasion  demands,  but  these  should 
receive  special  attention: 

I.    Correct-Usage  Tables 

Table  i.  Number  Forms — is,  are;  was,  were;  has, 
have. 

Drill  especially  on  such  troublesome  combinations  as : 

We  were  home.  Have  the  men  gone? 

The  boys  are  coming.  You  were  out. 

The  girls  are  there.  Have  the  birds  been  killed? 

Were  the  boys  home?  Have  the  clouds  gone? 

Are  the  children  playing?  Have  the  women  come? 

Are  the  stores  open?  Were  the  girls  home? 

Table  2.  Principal  Parts — Group  One;  throw,  blow, 
know,  grow,  draw,  fly,  and  their  forms. 

Drill  particularly  on  the  past  tense  and  the  past 
participle  in  such  combinations  as: 


70  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

He  threw  the  ball.  He  has  thrown  it  over  the 

fence. 
The  wind  blew  hard.  It   has   blown   down   many 

trees. 
I  knew  the  boy.  I  have  known  him  several 

years. 

Hasn't  he  grown  tall?  He  grew  rapidly  last  year. 

She  drew  a  picture.  She  has  drawn  many. 

The  birds  flew  into  the  barn.      Most  birds  have  flown  South. 

Table  3.  Principal  Parts — Group  Two;  ring,  sing, 
begin,  spring,  run,  swim,  with  their  parts. 

Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  past  tense 
and  past  participle  in  such  sentences  as: 
Has  the  bell  rung?  It  rang  at  nine. 

Has  the  class  sung?  She  sang  the  opening  song. 

I    began    my    work    before      Have  you  begun  yours? 

noon. 
The  deer  sprang  up. 

Table  4.  Principal  Parts— Group  Three;  see,  do,  go, 
come. 

These  four  verbs  give  much  trouble.   Drills  should  be 
aimed  especially  at  overcoming  the  misuse  of  seen,  done, 
come  and  went  in  such  sentences  as: 
I  saw  three  robins.  Has  the  boy  gone  home? 

He  saw  the  circus.  He  came  yesterday. 

He  did  his  work.  They  came  to-day. 

He  did  the  lesson  well. 

Table  5.  Contractions;  doesn't,  isn't,  aren't,  hasn't, 
haven't,  am  not. 

The  drills  here  should  be  aimed  at  overcoming  aint, 
haint,  taint,  It  don't,  and  other  like  habits. 


FOURTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


Use  here  questions  and  other  sentences  as: 
Doesn't  he  go  to  school?  Hasn't  he  gone  yet? 

Isn't  the  bluebird  dainty?  Haven't  you  seen  them? 

Aren't  you  ready?  I  am  not  going. 

Guessing  games  are  especially  valuable  in  giving  mo- 
tivated drills  on  these  forms. 


II.     Enunciation  Exercises 


just 
can 


three 
throw 


singing 
bringing 


white 
when 


give  me 
let  me 


get 
catch 


i.   To  overcome  "jaw  laziness" 

for  or  and 

from  nor  was 


2.  To  overcome  "tongue  tightness" 

there  this  these  them 

thing  that  those  think 

3.  To  overcome  "faulty  resonance" 
swinging  talking  reading 


ringing 


walking 


writing 


4.   To  overcome  "lip  laziness" 

whip  where  whistle 

which  when  what 

,   To  overcome  the  "hurry  habit" 

did  you  see  them 

let  them 


could  you 

The  foregoing  exercises  may  readily  be  increased. 
Such  drills  as  they  offer  may  be  correlated  with  phonics 
and  reading,  also  with  music.  Work  for  right  habits  in 
using  the  vocal  organs. 


72  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

III.     Punctuation  and  Capitalization 
Pupils  in  the  fourth  grade  have  need   to  use  few 
punctuation  marks  and  few  capital  letters.    They  can 
write  but  little,  and  their  sentences  are  usually  very 
simple  in  construction. 

A  reading  knowledge  of  punctuation  marks  will 
naturally  precede  the  ability  to  use  the  marks  in  com- 
position. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  rules  reviewed  and 
new  rules  introduced  in  the  fourth  grade: 

Rules  for  Punctuation  Rules  for  Capitalization 

Closing  the  sentence  with  a  Beginning  of  sentences. 

period.  Pronoun  I. 

Use  of  the  question  mark.  Own  name,  names  of  others. 

Period    following    abbrevia-  Beginning  lines  of  verse. 

tions.  Days  and  months. 

Comma  in  series.  Persons  and  places. 

Comma,  direct  address.  Initial  letters. 
Apostrophe  in  contractions. 

Pupils  of  this  grade,  are  also  introduced  to  quotation 
marks.  They  should  not  be  held  too  severely,  however, 
to  the  use  of  these  marks  especially  in  complicated 
sentences. 

Simple  letter  forms  also  are  given  to  follow  up  the 
work  introduced  in  the  third  grade. 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE— FUN  IN  THE 
COUNTRY 

For  pupils  both  in  country  and  in  city,  this  study  has 
a  gripping  interest.  Every  normal  child  likes  fun  in  the 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       73 

country,  and  all  are  ready  to  share  the  stories  of  their 
lively  experiences  on  the  farm  or  in  the  great  out-of- 
doors.  Several  worth-while  results  come  from  such  a 
sharing  of  stories: 

1.  Good  language  practice. 

2.  The  stimulating  of  interest  in  wholesome  recreation. 

3.  An  opportunity  for  practical  nature  study. 

The  program  provided  is  intended  to  cover  about 
three  weeks'  work. 

The  tongue-training  drills  in  enunciation  and  correct 
usage  are  focused  on  certain  troublesome  types,  begin- 
ning with  is,  are ;  was,  were ;  has,  have. 

Reinforcing  the  lessons  which  explain  the  proper  use 
of  these  forms,  are  " drill  tables"  to  cultivate  the  habit 
of  using  these  forms  correctly. 

Lesson  i.  Talking  about  Country  Fun 
Several  oral  recitations  may  be  given  under  this 
topic.  After  the  opening  sketch  has  been  read  by  the 
pupils,  they  may  be  led  to  tell  of  their  experiences  during 
vacation.  Following  the  lead  of  the  stories  they  may 
relate,  the  lesson  may  be  varied  to  suit  the  interests  of 
children  as  follows:  Fun  with  animals,  Fishing  stories, 
Camping,  Taking  trips,  Playing  in  the  parks  or  woods, 
Along  the  seashore,  Fun  on  the  farm. 

Seat  Work.  Vacation-time  booklets.  In  this  work  the 
pupils  should  be  encouraged  to  exercise  originality.  The 
booklet  may  be  filled  with  little  stories,  snap  shots, 
pictures  clipped  from  magazines,  postcard  pictures, 
little  poems,  original  or  others.  Several  study  periods 
may  well  be  filled  with  this  interesting  work. 


74  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  2.     Word  Study 

In  this  vocabulary-building  lesson,  the  pupils  are 
given  a  beginning  study  in  word  appreciation.  The 
study  may  be  extended  readily  by  having  them  make 
lists  of  words  suggestive  of  the  spirit  of  play;  as,  romp- 
ing, skipping,  chasing. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  vocabulary  exercise,  "Finding 
Picturesque  Words." 

Lesson  3.     Finding  the  Author's  Words 

Language  and  literature  are  blended  here  in  a  word- 
study  game.  When  the  sketches  are  completed,  have 
them  read. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  find  other  brief  farm 
pictures  in  verse  and  prose  and  copy  them  in  their 
vacation  booklets. 

Lesson  4.     Sentence  Studies 

In  this  exercise,  the  beginnings  of  sentence  study  are 
made.  Extend  the  lesson  by  having  the  pupils  find  other 
statements,  questions,  and  exclamatory  sentences  in 
other  parts  of  the  book.  Several  of  each  type  of  sentence 
may  be  copied.  Have  them  watch  for  periods,  question 
marks,  and  exclamation  marks. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  exercise  on  page  164  (text). 
Other  exercises  of  a  similar  nature  may  be  given  for 
additional  drill. 

Lesson  5.     Words  often  Mispronounced 

Overcoming  careless,  slovenly  habits  in  enunciation 
and  pronunciation  is  an  important  language  duty.  It  will 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       75 

be  achieved  not  by  drills  alone  but  by  creating  the  proper 
pride  in  pupils  for  clear,  clean  speech. 

Other  words  than  those  offered  in  this  exercise  may  be 
added  for  the  correction  of  other  common  errors  in  pro- 
nunciation. 

Seat  Work.  Let  each  pupil  try  to  find  ten  or  twenty 
other  words  commonly  mispronounced. 

Lesson  6.     Word  Forms  to  Master:   Correct  Usage 

Grouped  here  for  study  are  the  forms  is,  are;  was, 
were;  has,  have.  Several  clear  illustrative  exercises 
are  given.  Following  these,  drill  sentences  are  given  to 
drive  home  the  rules. 

The  unfailing  application  of  these  rules  will  be 
assured,  however,  only  by  continued  well  directed  prac- 
tice on  this  first  Correct-Usage  Table  page  69.  Review 
exercises  on  this  table  are  frequently  given. 

Occasionally,  as  often  as  need  requires,  the  drill  on 
these  troublesome  forms  should  be  repeated.  In  such 
drills,  attention  should  always  be  directed  towards  the 
trouble  spots.  The  training  should  be  mainly  on  are, 
were  and  have,  since  these  forms  are  neglected.  For 
example,  have  sentences  like  the  following  given  aloud 
clearly : 

We  are  going.  We  were  there. 

You  are  going.  The  men  were  home. 

Are  you  going?  The  boys  were  home. 

The  boys  are  coming.  Have  the  men  come? 

The  men  are  coming.  Have  the  boys  gone? 

The  girl  is  sweeping.  Have  the  girls  come? 


76 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Were  you  there?  Have  the  children  gone? 

Were  they  there?  Have  the  boys  seen  him? 

You  were  there.  Have  the  men  left? 

By  means  of  frequent  drills  on  tables  such  as  these, 
the  habit  of  hearing  rightly  and  of  speaking  correctly  may 
gradually  be  fixed. 

Seat  Work.  Make  sentences,  using  correctly  the 
various  forms  just  given.  Blank-filling  exercises,  and 
other  drills  in  correct  usage  may  be  given ;  as, 

Where you  going?       What you  doing? 

When they    com-      Who there? 

ing  home? 

GENERAL  STUDY  TWO— AUTUMN  GIFTS 

Language  work  and  nature  study,  from  a  practical 
viewpoint,  are  here  blended.  The  main  purpose  is  to 
give  pupils  a  training  both  in  expression  and  in  apprecia- 
tion. A  series  of  lessons,  directing  the  work  of  three  or 
four  weeks,  is  offered  in  the  following  program  : 

Lesson  i.    The  Spirit  of  Autumn 

This  study,  as  worked  out  in  full,  with  the  little  play 
that  resulted  from  the  work  follows: 

First  there  was  the  discovery  lesson,  in  which  the 
pupils  were  led  to  tell  of  the  season  they  liked  best,  and 
why.  They  talked  of  how  these  different  seasons  might 
b.e  represented;  and  finally,  the  discussion  being  turned 
to  autumn,  as  suggested  in  the  text,  the  class  was  tact- 
fully led  to  picture  this  season  as  a  Jolly  King  ready  for 
his  feast. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 77 

The  pupils  were  next  stimulated  to  tell  of  the  different 
gifts  that  might  be  brought  to  the  king,  and  each  told 
which  of  all  the  gifts  he  liked  the  best  and  why. 

The  suggestion  was  next  brought  out  that  a  play 
representing  "King  Autumn's  Feast"  be  created.  It 
met  with  enthusiastic  approval.  The  class  selected 
those  who  were  to  represent  King  Autumn  and  Jack 
Frost.  Each  of  the  rest  of  the  pupils  was  then  per- 
mitted to  select  his  own  part.  This  closed  the  opening 
lesson. 

The  second  exercise  was  a  development  lesson. 
During  this  the  pupils  were  given  an  encouraging 
opportunity,  each  freely  to  work  out  his  part.  The 
pupils  preferred  to  write  out  their  own  little  descriptions 
of  the  various  flowers,  grains,  vegetables,  and  fruits  they 
had  chosen  to  represent. 

The  third  lesson  was  another  development  lesson 
devoted  to  perfecting  the  parts.  The  little  play  was 
rehearsed,  each  pupil  giving  orally  or  reading  his  part. 
Suggestions  for  improvement  were  invited  and  given  by 
the  class;  and  the  pupils,  helped  by  these  constructive 
criticisms,  went  to  work  to  better  their  little  composi- 
tions. These  were  finally  written  by  each  of  the  pupils 
on  uniform  sized  paper,  and  appropriate  art  decorations 
were  made  also  by  each  pupil  to  illustrate  his  part. 
These,  gathered  into  a  little  booklet  with  an  art  cover 
made  by  the  pupils,  made  up  the  little  play. 

The  final  lesson  was  the  presenting  of  this  play  before 
the  patrons  and  pupils  of  other  classes  during  an  autumn 
program.  Following  is  the  play  in  full  as  it  came  from 
the  pupils  themselves: 


78  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


KING  AUTUMN'S  FEAST 

King  Autumn:  Jack  Frost,  come  tell  the  flowers,  fruits,  and  vege- 
tables that  King  Autumn  is  giving  a  great  feast. 

Good  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables,  I  am  giving  this  great  feast  in 
order  to  bring  my  old  friends  together  for  the  last  time  this  year. 

Good  friends,  what  gifts  do  you  bring  me? 

Jack  Frost:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  Jack  Frost.  Probably  you  have 
heard  of  me  before.  Children  say  that  they  do  not  like  me  because  I 
nip  their  toes  and  pinch  their  noses.  But  I  make  their  eyes  sparkle  and 
their  cheeks  glow.  They  do  not  know  that  I  work  nights  with  my  magic 
in  bringing  out  the  autumn  glory.  When  I  kiss  the  apples,  they  blush 
rosy  red.  I  change  the  robes  of  the  trees  from  green  to  red,  yellow,  and 
scarlet.  I  put  the  diamonds  in  the  snow  banks.  In  winter,  I  paint  castles 
on  the  windows  for  boys  and  girls.  After  my  work  is  done,  I  cover  the 
earth  with  a  soft  white  blanket.  (Turning  to  his  friends,  he  continues.) 

Come,  come,  good  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables,  the  King  is  giving 
a  great  feast! 

Sunflower:  Greeting  to  thee,  O  King  of  Autumn!  Thy  call  has 
brought  me  here.  Though  I  spring  from  the  earth  a  simple  sunflower  I 
bring  sunlight  and  glory  to  thy  Festival. 

Chrysanthemum:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  yellow  Chrysanthemum 
grown  for  your  pleasure.  I  come  to  bring  greeting,  O  King!  I  am  one  of 
the  last  flowers  in  the  garden,  and  you  must  enjoy  me,  for  it  will  be  long 
before  spring. 

Dahlias:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  big  beautiful  bunch  of  Dahlias.  I 
make  every  one  happy.  I  bloom  here  and  there.  Almost  everywhere  you 
will  see  my  richest  colors  of  red,  yellow,  white,  and  purple.  I  am  some- 
times plucked  to  be  put  into  vases  to  make  some  sick  person  happy,  or 
even  to  make  a  home  beautiful.  Here  .1  stand,  O  King,  to  do  your 
bidding.  Put  me  in  a  vase  and  set  me  on  your  table,  and  I  will  scatter 
sunshine  all  about  you. 

Wheat:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  Wheat.  I  am  the  staff  of  life.  I  feed 
the  world.  At  first  I  am  a  little  green  blade  peeping  from  the  ground. 
Soon  I  am  a  swaying  field  of  golden  grain.  When  ripe  I  am  cut  and 
threshed.  I  am  then  taken  to  the  mill  to  be  made  into  flour.  I  travel  all 
over  the  world.  And  here  I  am,  O  King,  ready  to  serve  you. 

Corn:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  stalk  of  Corn.  I  am  a  staff  for  you  to 
lean  on.  I  am  known  all  over  the  world:  You  can  can  me.  You  can 
roast  me.  And  you  can  have  anything,  O  King,  I  am  here  to  serve  you. 

Apple:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  Jonathan  Apple.  I  was  grown  in  an 
orchard.  I  was  ripe  a  few  days  ago  and  the  farmer  put  me  in  a  bin,  I 
had  trouble  to  get  here,  but  now  that  I  am  here  make  good  use  of  me. 
You  can  bake  me  or  make  me  into  an  apple  pie,  an  apple  dumpling,  or 
you  can  eat  me  as  I  am. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 79 

Pumpkin: 

O  MIGHTY  KING 

I'm  a  great  big  yellow  Pumpkin, 
I'm  as  good  as  I  can  be, 
If  you  don't  believe  me 
Bake  me  in  a  pie  and  see. 

My  home  is  yonder  cornfield. 
Midst  the  stately,  waving  corn 
Isn't  that  a  lovely  place  for 
A  pumpkin  to  be  born? 

I'm  a  jolly  fellow 
When  it  comes  to  Hallowe'en. 
I'm  the  finest  Jack-o'-lantern 
That  ever  has  been  seen. 

When  the  night  is  dark 

I  have  the  mostest  fun, 

For  .all  those  that  see  me 

Just  throw  up  their  hands  and  run. 

Cantaloupe:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  delicious  Cantaloupe.  I  am 
yellow  to  the  rind.  You  will  like  me  I  know,  O  King!  Here  I  stand 
ready  to  please  your  royal  taste.  You  may  have  me  made  into  fancy 
things,  or  eat  me  just  as  I  am  with  salt  and  pepper.  In  fact  I  am  good 
almost  any  way.  Here  I  stand  ready  to  serve  you  as  you  please. 

Watermelon:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  Watermelon.  See  my  beautiful 
green  rind.  Is  it  not  beautiful?  I  have  something  still  more  beautiful. 
Cut  me  open  and  see.  You  will  find  something  most  delicious.  I  know 
you  will  like  me.  Taste  me  and  see.  I  am  so  delicious  you  will  want  all 
you  can  get  of  me,  O  King! 

Squash:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  nice  ripe  Squash,  ready  to  serve  you. 
I  guess  you  like  me  in  many  different  ways.  Maybe  in  a  pie  or  maybe 
baked  with  salt  and  butter.  At  first  I  lay  in  the  field,  a  brownish  gold. 
Then  I  was  brought  in  and  cleaned  and  put  into  the  oven.  And  now 
here  I  am  before  you. 

Potato:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  Potato.  I  am  white  on  the  inside  and 
brown  on  the  outside.  You  can  serve  me  in  many  ways.  You  can 
French  fry  me  or  you  can  make  me  into  creamed  potato. 

Sweet  Potato:  Your  Majesty,  I  am  a  Sweet  Potato.  You  may  cook 
me  in  several  ways.  I  am  best  when  baked,  but  I  may  be  boiled  or  fried. 
I  grow  under  the  ground.  I  have  a  great  number  of  eyes.  From  each 
eye  will  come  a  new  plant. 


8o LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Observe  that  the  exercise  was  characterized  by  the 
following  essential  elements  of  a  truly  democratic 
language  lesson. 

1.  The  general  subject  connected  closely  with  the  pupils' 
lives. 

2.  It  offered  opportunity  for  every  pupil  both  to  give  and 
to  gain. 

3.  The  work  was  constructive  and  creative. 

4.  It  was  given  a  natural  and  impelling  motive. 

5.  There  was  continuity  of  effort  to  accomplish  a  worthy 
result  for  the  common  cause. 

Lesson  2.     Sowing  the  Seeds 

Several  different  lessons  are  given  here,  each  with  the 
central  thought  of  stimulating  observation  and  expression 
about  mother  nature's  way  of  sowing  the  seeds. 

1.  Read  the  Parable  of  the  Sower.   Lead  the  pupils 
to  ask  such  questions  as  the  following:   What  happens 
to  seeds  that  fall  on  stony  ground?    To  those  that  fall 
among  weeds?    To  those  that  fall  by  the  roadside? 
When  do  seeds  grow  best? 

When  the  pupils  have  answered  such  questions,  per- 
haps they  may  be  led  to  tell  something  of  the  meaning  of 
the  parable. 

2.  Autumn  Airships.   Pupils  here  are  given  a  chance 
to  tell  of  their  observations  in  watching  seeds  in  autumn. 
Interest  in  this  lesson  may  be  increased  greatly  by  having 
a  collection  of  seeds  that  fly;  as,  the  milkweed  seed, 
thistle  seed,  lettuce  seed,  cat-tail    seed,  and  others. 
Encourage  the  pupils  to  talk  freely  about  these  little 
airships  and  their  travels. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       81 

3.  Other  Seed  Travelers.  This  lesson  is  a  natural 
outgrowth  of  the  preceding  one.  It  should  be  prepared 
for  by  having  a  collection  of  seeds  made. 

Seat  Work.  Following  each  of  the  preceding  exercises, 
the  class  may  be  allowed  to  make  a  seed  collection  and 
mount  it  on  cardboard  or  arrange  it  properly  labeled  in 
cardboard  boxes,  under  such  titles  as,  Seed  Airships, 
Seed  Boats,  Seeds  that  Steal  Rides,  Seeds  that  Pay 
Their  Way. 

Lesson  3.    A  Tale  of  a  Traveler 

Vocabulary  work  blended  with  an  imaginary  story  is 
given  here.  After  filling  the  blanks  with  fitting  words, 
the  pupils  may  read  the  story. 

Seat  Work.  Another  imaginary  story  following  the 
titles  given  in  Exercise  21  may  be  written.  When  com- 
pleted, these  tales  may  be  read  during  other  recitations. 

Lesson  4.    Author  Study 

Literature  is  here  correlated  with  language.  The  little 
tale  of  "The  Pea  Blossom"  should  first  be  read,  and  the 
pupils,  guided  by  such  questions  as  follow,  should  be 
given  the  opportunity  to  express  themselves. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  suggestions  in  questions  four 
and  five,  page  179  (text). 

Lesson  5.    Autumn  Leaves 

Two  delightful  lessons  come  under  this  general  title. 
First,  a  favorite  little  poem  to  enjoy;  second,  a  study  of 
autumn- time  words.  These  studies  may  be  blended,  the 
poem  being  used  for  the  recitation,  and  the  word  study 
for  seat  work. 


82 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  6.     Correct-Usage  Table  2,  p.  69 

Several  troublesome  verbs  alike  in  their  principal 
parts,  are  here  studied.  After  these  are  studied  and  the 
proper  use  of  the  various  forms  made  clear,  tongue-train- 
ing drills  on  such  sentences  as  those  given  in  the  text, 
and  others  like  them,  may  be  had. 

Focus  the  drill  first  on  threw,  blew,  knew,  grew,  drew, 
and  flew,  then  on  has  thrown,  has  blown,  has  known, 
has  grown,  has  drawn,  has  flown. 

Lesson  7.  The  Comma  in  Series 
This  easiest  of  the  comma  rules  is  given  first.  Fourth 
grade  children  should  have  little  difficulty  in  under- 
standing the  rule.  Their  fingers,  however,  will  need 
much  practice  before  they  will  apply  the  rule.  Have 
them  compose  sentences  to  write  on  the  board;  as,  The 
wind  blew  down  trees,  windmills,  houses,  and  barns. 

Let  each  find  one  or  more  such  sentences  in  other 
lessons  in  their  text  or  other  books. 

Have  dictation  exercises  using  such  sentences. 

Lesson  8.    Reviews 

Helpful  exercises  for  punctuation  practice  and  a  care- 
fully chosen  list  of  sentences  for  review  drill  on  Correct- 
Usage  Table  i,  p.  69,  is,  are,  was,  were,  are  given  here. 
The  sentences  may  be  increased  by  others  found  or  made 
by  the  pupils  or  teacher. 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE— HALLOWE 'EN 

Opportunity  is  given  first  to  make  a  blended  study  of 
language  and  literature;  second,  to  direct  pupils  towards 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 83 

celebrating  the  holiday  joyously,  yet  in  a  safe  and  sane 
way. 

About  three  weeks'  time  may  well  be  spent  in  working 
out  the  program  of  lessons  provided  in  the  text  as 
follows: 

Lesson  i.     Enjoying  Hallowe'en  Poems  and  Stories 

A  stanza  from  Whittier's  poem,  "The  Pumpkin,"  is 
used  to  begin  this  study.  Stimulated  by  the  suggestions 
of  pumpkin  fun  and  of  "  Cinderella,"  the  pupils  should  be 
ready  to  talk  freely,  to  retell  the  story  of  Cinderella,  and 
perhaps  the  stories  of  other  fairy  tales  suggestive  of  the 
spirit  of  the  holiday.  Their  expression,  tactfully  guided, 
will  give  good  oral  practice  and  create  the  right  atmos- 
phere for  the  studies  to  follow. 

Seat  Work.  Memorize  the  stanza  given,  or  draw  or 
cut  illustrations  for  the  Cinderella  story. 

Lesson  2.     Talking  about  Hallowe'en  Fun 

Following  the  suggestions  in  the  text,  lead  the  pupils 
freely  to  talk  of  their  ways  of  celebrating  the  holiday, 
especially  to  tell  of  their  fun  with  the  Jack-o'-Lantern. 

Seat  Work.  The  imaginary  tale  of  "The  Adventures 
of  Mr.  Jack-o'-Pumpkin "  should  be  completed.  A  little 
guidance  in  filling  the  blanks  may  be  necessary,  but 
pupils  here  should  be  allowed  freedom  within  reason. 

Lesson  3.    Enjoying  the  Stories 
A  language-reading  lesson  may  here  be  made  by 
having  the  pupils  read  their  little  tales.   Reading  one's 
own   composition  makes  good   language   and   reading 
practice. 


84  LIVE  LANGUAGE   LESSONS 

Seat  Work.  Study  the  sketch,  "How  Hallowe'en 
Came  to  Be."  If  possible,  find  in  other  books,  maga- 
zines, and  papers  further  information  about  this  strange 
holiday.  Prepare  to  talk  about  it  in  the  succeeding 
recitation. 

Lesson  4.    Planning  a  Hallowe'en  Program 

Following  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  32,  let  the  pupils, 
tactfully  guided,  be  allowed  to  work  out  a  program  for 
Hallowe'en. 

Seat  Work.   Create  a  Hallowe'en  story,  as  suggested. 

Lesson  5.    Hallowe'en  Rhymes 
This  lively  little  exercise  generally  brings  rich  results. 
Pupils  will  find  little  trouble  in  completing  the  rhymes. 
Some  pupils  may  make  clever  ones  all  their  own.    The 
following  is  a  result  from  this  exercise: 

One  moonlit  night  a  wee  little  elf 

Sat  on  a  toadstool  fanning  himself. 

Some  gay  little  brownies  came  tripping  along, 

With  bright  lighted  lanterns  and  gay,  merry  song. 

"Oh  look!"  said  one  brownie,  "let's  go  over  there, 
And  give  the  wee  elf  an  awful  scare." 
So  up  crept  the  brownies  with  lanterns,  all  bright 
When  down  jumped  the  elf  and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

—Will  Jex. 

Seat  Work.  The  finding  of  rhyming  words  and  the 
creating  of  jingles  make  a  charming  exercise. 

Lesson  6.    Poem  Studies 

To  the  group  of  poems  given,  others  from  the  readers 
may  be  added.  Lead  the  pupils  to  talk  freely  about  the 
poems. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       85 

Seat  Work.  Study  the  beginning  of  the  Hallowe'en 
Play,  and  be  ready  with  suggestions  for  completing  it. 

Lessons  7  to  10 

These  lessons  may  be  devoted  to  working  out,  practic- 
ing, and  presenting  the  little  play.  The  Creating  of  the 
play  should  be  done  as  a  class  exercise.  Pupils  should  be 
given  opportunity  to  suggest  plans  and  parts.  All 
should  be  permitted  to  take  some  part  in  the  play  even 
though  it  be  but  a  small  one. 

Seat  Work.  During  this  time  the  pupils,  if  it  can  so 
be  arranged,  may  work  out  the  staging  and  costuming 
of  their  little  play.  Committees  of  the  class  may  be 
appointed  for  this  purpose. 

.  If  this  plan  is  not  practicable,  they  may  write  out  the 
little  play.  Good  spelling  drill,  punctuation,  capitaliza- 
tion, and  sentence  building  are  required  in  this  exercise. 
Not  more  than  one  scene  or  act  should  be  attempted  at  a 
time  during  one  study  period. 

Lesson  u.    Vocabulary  Building 

In  the  exercise,  "  Words  for  Hallowe'en,"  a  new  kind 
of  word-finding  lesson  is  offered.  Let  the  pupils,  during 
the  recitation,  take  a  few  of  the  sentences  and  work  them 
out  as  suggested.  Lead  them  to  see  the  effect  of  the 
changes. 

Seat  Work.  Let  each  one  continue  the  exercise  by  find- 
ing words  for  himself. 

Lesson  12.     Correct-Usage  Table  3,  p.  70 
A  drill  on  the  group  of  verbs — rang,  sang,  sprang, 


86  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

began,  drank,  sank,  and  others  like  them  is  given  here, 
with  the  other  forms,  has  rung,  has  sung,  and  so  on. 

The  practice  should  mainly  be  on  the  "a"  forms,  since 
these  are  most  commonly  misused.  Let  the  drill  be  made 
snappy  and  lively.  Vary  it  by  having  the  pupils  make 
sentences  of  their  own,  or  by  having  them  find  and  read 
other  sentences  in  which  these  trouble-makers  are  proper- 
ly used. 

Seat  Work.  Fill  the  blanks  given.  Compose  other 
sentences  using  these  forms  or  find  other  sentences  like 
them. 

• 

Lesson  13.     Tongue  Training 

A  drill  on  type  trouble-makers  in  enunciation  is  here 
given.  The  aim  is  to  help  the  pupils  speak  these  and 
other  words  "trippingly  on  the  tongue,"  and  to  sound 
them  properly.  Have  a  happy,  lively  drill  to  train  the 
pupils'  tongues,  jaws,  and  lips  away  from  lazy  habits  and 
to  cultivate  the  habit  of  throwing  the  tone  forward  by 
practicing  words  ending  in  "ing."  See  suggestions  on 
page  71,  Enunciation  Exercises. 

Lesson  14.     Correct-Usage  Table  4,  p.  70 

Table  4  deals  with  saw,  seen;  did,  done;  came,  come; 
and  went,  gone.  Only  saw  and  seen  are  given  here. 
The  other  forms  are  all  given  later  in  this  grade.  They 
may  be  given  attention  here  also  if  desired.  The  definite 
effort  to  rid  the  pupils'  tongues  of  "I  seen  it,"  "He  done 
it,"  "He  has  went,"  and  "He  come  yesterday"  can  not 
be  made  too  soon.  For  further  suggestions  see  page  99. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       87 

Seat  Work.  Compose  or  find  sentences  in  which  these 
forms  are  correctly  used. 

Lesson  15.    Review  Drill  on  Correct  Usage 
Table  i — is,  are;  was,  were;  has,  have.   See  page  69. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR— HOME  HELPERS 

Here  is  a  practical  study,  giving  good  language 
training,  and  turning  that  training  to  good  account  in 
cultivating  a  spirit  of  home  helpfulness,  thrift  habits  in 
the  home,  and  an  appreciation  of  our  pioneer  home- 
makers.  Opportunity  for  many  such  necessary  lessons 
will  be  found  in  the  following  program  planned  to  provide 
about  three  weeks  of  work. 

Lesson  i.    Talks  about  Cooking 

This  study  is  approached  in  the  play  spirit  through  a 
stanza  from  Riley's  poem,  "Our  Hired  Girl."  Let  the 
teacher  read  the  stanza  or  the  whole  poem  expressively. 
Then,  following  the  questions  and  suggestions  in  the 
sketch  about  "  Learning  to  Cook,"  stimulate  a  good  oral 
lesson. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  have  a  spelling  game  by 
drawing  a  kitchen  or  a  cupboard  and  filling  it  with  words 
naming  various  foods  and  utensils  needed  by  the  cook. 

Lesson  2.    Telling  about  Play  Dinners 

This  is  another  oral  exercise  in  which  the  pupils  may 

share  their  "play  dinner"  and  "playhouse"  fun  and  at 

the  same  time  get  good  language  practice.   To  stimulate 

such  expression  ask  questions;  as,  Where  have  you  ever 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


built  a  playhouse?  Tell  how  you  made  it.  Tell  of  some 
dinner  you  may  have  had  in  it.  Who  came  to  visit  you? 
What  had  you  to  eat? 

Seat  Work.   Follow  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  41. 

Lesson  3.    Helping  Hands 

Let  the  pupils  read  this  poem  and  talk  freely  about  it. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  last  suggestion  under  question 
6,  Exercise  42.  Write  three  reasons  why  every  child 
should  be  a  home  helper.  Let  these  be  read  the  follow- 
ing day.  The  best  five  should  be  selected  by  the  class  to 
be  made  into  a  little  motto  for  the  room.  The  poem 
should  be  memorized. 

Lesson  4.     Thrift 

Here  is  a  thrift  lesson.  The  emphasis  of  the  talk  may 
well  be  turned  to  money  saving  and  money  earning: 
(i)  by  home  helpfulness;  (2)  by  care  of  food  and  clothing; 
(3)  by  earning  money. 

Seat  Work.  Make  thrift  posters.  Choose  the  best 
three  for  the  classroom  walls. 

Work  into  some  art  design  such  sayings  as, 

A  penny  saved  is  a  penny  earned. 
A  dime  a  day  keeps  want  away. 
Thrift  is  a  habit:  get  the  habit. 
Waste  not:  want  not. 

Lesson  5.    Making  Home  Rhymes 
Another  exercise  in  rhyme  making,  is  given  for  the 
sake  of  variety.    Some  clever  little  jingles  should  result. 
The  following  is  the  work  of  a  fourth  grade  pupil  from 
this  exercise. 


FOURTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


HELPING  HANDS 

When  mother  goes  away 
For  about  a  half  a  day. 
She  leaves  me  all  alone 
To  answer  the  phone. 

I  do  all  the  work 

And  never  shirk. 

When  the  door  bell  rings 

I  take  what  the  mail  man  brings. 

I  scrub  the  floor 
And  polish  the  door 
When  mother  goes  away 
For  about  a  half  a  day. 

— Harold  Cummings. 

Seat  Work  may  be  the  following  up  of  this  rhyming 
exercise. 

Lesson  6.    Pioneer  Foods  and  Cooking 

This  study  opens  a  wealth  of  beautiful  work.  Every 
pupil  will  have  parents,  grandparents,  or  other  friends 
who  can  tell  first-hand  stories  of  these  pioneer  times. 
The  stories  thus  gathered  will  make  a  pleasant  story- 
hour  or  two  and  will  also  cultivate  in  the  pupil  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  pioneers,  the  first  lesson  in  patriotism. 

Seat  Work.  Make  a  pioneer  booklet  to  be  presented  to 
the  school  library.  Let  each  pupil  contribute  to  the  book- 
let one  or  more  choice  little  stories  of  pioneer  life.  The 
stories  should  be  illustrated  with  drawings,  or  with  kodak 
and  other  pictures  of  pioneer  homes  and  pioneer  life. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— CHRISTMASTIDE 

Two  things  in  one  are  achieved  by  the  proper  teach- 
ing of  this  study.  The  right  spirit  towards  Christmas 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


will  be  created,  and  excellent  motivation  for  language 
lessons  will  come  from  the  expression  of  that  spirit. 

In  the  following  varied  program  of  stories,  songs,  and 
language  exercises,  will  be  found  lessons  enough  to  fill 
the  time  between  Thanksgiving  and  Christmas. 

Lesson  i.     The  First  Christmas  Story 

St.  Luke's  story  of  the  Christ  Child  belongs  to  all 
children.  Let  them  hear  it  first  voiced  expressively,  not 
affectedly,  by  the  teacher.  Afterwards  they  may  read  it 
aloud.  Perhaps,  through  listening  to  the  music  of  its 
words,  they  will  memorize  it. 

An  oral  lesson  should  follow  in  which  the  pupils  are 
led  to  talk  about  the  story  of  the  shepherds,  to  appreciate 
the  picture  of  "The  Visit  of  the  Shepherds,"  and  to  tell 
or  hear  the  story  of  "  The  Wise  Men."  To  stimulate  such 
expression  ask  such  questions  as,  How  came  the  parents 
of  Jesus  to  be  in  the  stable  when  he  was  born?  How  did 
the  shepherds  learn  of  the  birth  of  the  babe?  What 
beautiful  picture  comes  to  your  mind  as  you  read  the 
story?  What  other  picture  than  the  one  given  in  the 
text  have  you  seen  of  the  Christ  Child  and  his  mother? 

Seat  Work.  Write  about  "The  Christ  Child." 

A  little  composition  of  perhaps  a  paragraph  or  two 
may  be  produced  here.  Some  illustrations  of  the  story 
in  drawings  or  pictures  will  add  to  the  interest. 

Two  periods  may  be  given  to  this  work,  if  necessary. 

Lesson  2.     Christmas  Poetry 

Pupils  may  here  have  a  delightful  recital  of  poems 
and  songs  and  stories  of  Christmas  time.  First  have 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       91 

them  read  the  poems  in  the  book,  asking  questions  to 
bring  out  the  main  thought  in  each.  Then  plan  a  program 
for  the  next  day  in  which  not  only  these  but  others  sug- 
gested in  Exercise  51  are  read.  Also  let  the  pupils  enjoy 
again  the  poems  suggested  for  the  third  grade  on  pages 
61-65  (text).  Choice  poems  should  be  re-read,  just  as 
songs  are  re-sung,  whenever  occasion  calls  for  them. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  spend  the  time  in  pre- 
paring the  various  parts  assigned  for  the  program.  Each 
child  should  be  given  a  part,  even  if  it  must  be  a  small 
one. 

Lesson  3.     Sharing  Christmas  Pleasures 

In  this  oral  exercise,  follow  the  lead  of  the  questions 
in  the  text.  When  the  pupils  have  been  stimulated  to 
express  themselves,  guide  their  expression  till  the  object 
of  the  lesson  is  achieved. 

Seat  Work.  Memorize  the  stanza  "Holiday  Gifts." 

Lesson  4.     Christmas  Remembrances 
A  good  oral  lesson  may  be  had  here  by  leading  the 
pupils  to  talk  about  the  plan  suggested  and  of  those  to  be 
remembered. 

Seat  Work.  Write  the  letters  suggested.  Let  the 
pupils  follow  the  guidance  given  in  the  text.  This  letter 
writing  will  take  care  of  itself  once  the  pupil  feels  the 
reality  of  the  exercise.  Only  a  little  help  in  directing  his 
expression  and  in  making  sure  of  the  form,  will  be 
necessary. 

Two  and  three  recitations  and  study  periods  will  be 
needed  to  finish  the  work  and  to  give  the  training  sug- 
gested in  Part  II  of  Exercise  54. 


92  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  5.     Christmas  Cards 

Language  and  art  are  blended  here.  Follow  the 
directions  as  given.  Both  the  recitation  and  the  study 
period  will  be  required  for  perhaps  two  days  to  com- 
plete this  work. 

Following  is  a  little  letter  in  rhyme  that  came  out  of 
this  work. 

DEAR  MOTHER 
Christmas  comes  but  once  a  year. 
May  it  bring  you  happiness  and  cheer! 
May  Santa  fill  your  stocking  with  health, 
And  also  give  you  your  share  of  wealth! 

I  will  always  do  what  is  right, 

And  help  you  with  all  my  might. 

For  you  may  a  banner  of  peace  and  joy  unfurl, 

Is  the  loving  wish  of  your  little  girl. 

— Alice  Sheets. 

Lesson  6.    Rules  for  Using  Capitals 

Some  of  the  simpler  rules  governing  the  use  of  capitals 
are  given  here  with  exercises  to  fix  the  rules  in  the  fingers. 
Two  or  more  recitations  and  study  periods  should  be 
given  to  the  working  out  of  this  lesson.  Use  the  exercise 
in  the  book  as  planned.  Next  have  a  memory  exercise 
in  which  the  pupils  first  learn,  then  write  from  memory 
some  bit  of  choice  verse  on  Christmas  time. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  57 
under  4  and  5. 

Lesson  7.     New  Year's  Greetings 

This  study  may  be  taken  before  the  holidays,  if  time 
permits,  or  it  may  follow  them. 

The  making  of  calendars,  as  suggested,  brings  art  and 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 93 

language  together  in  a  series  of  delightful  exercises  that 
may  well  fill  several  periods. 

Lesson  8.     Abbreviations 

Training  for  the  fingers  to  use  capitals  and  periods 
properly,  and  a  good  spelling  exercise,  are  given  in  a 
lesson  which  grows  naturally  out  of  the  calendar  work. 
Spell  here  the  names  of  the  months  and  the  days  of  the 
week,  with  their  abbreviations. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  seat  work  suggested  at  the 
close  of  Exercise  59. 

Lesson  9.     Days  of  the  Week 

This  study  may  be  vitalized,  as  suggested,  by  telling 
how  the  days  got  their  names.  Opportunity  is  also 
provided  for  a  story  hour  on  "Old  Norse  Tales"  by  fol- 
lowing the  suggestions  in  Exercise  61. 

Lesson  10.    Reviews 

Correct-Usage  Tables  i,  2,  3,  and  part  of  4,  pages 
69,  70  are  given  here  again  for  oral  drill. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  copy  and  punctuate  the 
sentences  in  Part  II  of  the  exercise.  Other  like  sentences 
may  be  added,  if  necessary. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SIX— SNOW  SPORTS 

Here  is  another  recreational  study  with  a  clear  pur- 
pose of  stimulating  wholesome  winter  fun  and  health. 
About  three  weeks  may  be  given  to  the  working  out  of 
this  general  study. 


94  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  i.     Sharing  Our  Winter  Fun 
The  pupils  should  be  led,  not  driven,  to  tell  of  their 

winter  fun,  by  following  the  questions  and  suggestions 

found  in  the  book,  or  others  like  them.    Get  the  best 

stories  they  have  to  give. 

Seat  Work.   All  will  enjoy  completing  the  little  story 

"Bumping  the  Bumps." 

Lesson  2.     A  Book  of  Winter  Stories 

After  reading  the  completed  story,  "  Bumping  the 
Bumps,"  let  the  pupils  plan  a  winter-time  booklet  to  be 
created  by  the  class,  or  separate  booklets  by  each  pupil. 

Seat  Work.  Write  a  winter-time  story.  During  the 
succeeding  recitation  and  study  period  the  stories  may 
be  read  and  afterwards  put  into  finished  form  with 
illustrations.  The  following  uncorrected  stories  come 
from  pupils  who  worked  out  this  exercise. 

A  SNOW  HOUSE 

One  day  when  we  were  out  with  papa  cleaning  walks.  I  said,  "Let's 
make  a  snow  house."  We  got  big  blocks  of  snow  and  piled  them  on  top 
of  each  other.  When  it  was  finished  we  played  in  it  a  long  time.  Then 
mamma  called  us  to  supper.  When  we  had  finished  our  supper,  we  went 
to  look  at  it  again.  It  was  all  broken  down.  We  saw  a  boy  run  away  too. 
I  never  built  it  up  again  after  that. 

— Martha  Wernham. 

THE  RACE  THROUGH  THE  SNOW 

While  we  were  eating  breakfast  one  morning  on  the  farm  we  saw  a 
race  between  a  jack  rabbit  and  a  coyote.  The  jack  rabbit  was  a  big  one 
almost  white,  with  long  legs.  Oh  how  he  did  run  and  jump!  The  coyote 
was  hungry.  He  wanted  his  breakfast  and  there  was  nothing  to  eat  but 
that  rabbit.  Oh  how  hard  he  ran !  Up  and  down  the  hills,  over  the  sage- 
brush and  through  the  snow.  After  a  while  it  looked  as  if  the  coyote  was 
losing.  Then  they  got  out  of  sight  and  for  all  I  know  may  be  they  are 
running  yet. 

— Elsa  Hendrickson. 

/ V     ' ' 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE       95 

Lesson  3.     Conversation  in  Stories 

Direct  quotations  are  used  mainly  in  story  telling. 
Their  use  there  is  to  give  life  and  reality  to  the  tale.  In 
teaching  quotations,  let  this  point  be  brought  out  clearly 
and  kept  clear. 

Seat  Work.  The  work  suggested  in  Exercise  67  will 
provide  enough  to  fill  two  or  more  study  periods.  In- 
crease the  drill  work  if  necessary. 

Review  here  the  rules  already  given  for  the  use  of 
periods,  commas,  questions,  and  exclamation  marks. 

Lesson  4.     Words  That  Take  the  Place  of  "Said" 

A  blended  study  of  quotations  and  vocabulary  work 
is  given.  After  the  exercise  in  the  text  has  been  studied, 
let  the  pupils  turn  to  various  stories  in  the  language 
books  or  readers  and  find  how  authors  use  various 
expressions  in  place  of  said.  This  last  suggestion  may  be 
worked  out  for  seat  work  during  the  study  period. 

Lesson  5.     Snow  Stories  to  Read 

Language  and  literature  are  blended  here.  Other 
winter- time  stories  may  be  added  to  the  list.  After  the 
stories  have  been  read,  let  them  be  told  or  played. 

Lesson  6.     The  First  Snowfall 

Another  language-literature  study,  which  may  be 
enriched  by  adding  other  poems  that  reflect  the  spirit  of 
winter,  is  given  here.  Following  the  study  of  the  poems 
as  suggested  by  the  questions  following  the  poem  in 
Exercise  70,  the  pupils  may  give  a  little  recital  of  these 
poems. 


96 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  7.    Contractions 
Under  this  general  head  come: 

1.  A  study  in  spelling  contractions. 

2.  The  real  use  of  contractions  explained. 

3.  Troublesome  contractions. 

4.  A  drill  exercise  on  the  "Mischief-Makers. " 

A  week  or  more  of  worth-while  work  can  be  given  to 
learning  the  correct  use  of  these  commonly  misused 
forms.  Especially  should  attention  be  directed  through 
positive  tongue  training  to  the  mastery  of  'Correct-Usage 
Table  5:  isn't,  aren't,  doesn't,  hasn't,  haven't,  am  not, 
tisn't. 

Lively  drills  and  language  games  will  be  most  valuable 
here.  Exercise  74  suggests  the  spirit  in  which  these 
trouble-makers  may  best  be  overcome. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN— AROUND  THE 
FIRESIDE 

Home  recreation  is  the  best  recreation.  To  cultivate 
the  spirit  that  makes  pupils  love  their  homes,  we  must 
help  them  to  find  their  pleasures  there.  This  language 
study  opens  the  way  for  such  most  needed  lessons. 

An  interesting  program  for  two  weeks  of  work  is 
provided  as  follows: 

First  Week 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Enjoying  fireside  poems.  Memorizing  a  poem. 

Talking  about  fireside  fun.  Finding  games  to  play. 

Playing  in-door  games.  Making  a  game  book. 

Language-guessing  games.  Continuing  the  game  book. 

More  language  games.  Completing  the  game  book. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 97 

Second  Week 

The  growing  story.  Finding  charade  words. 

Playing  charades.  Reading  stories  to  tell. 

A  story  hour.  Reading  stories  to  tell. 

A  second  story  hour.  Writing  a  fable. 

Reading  the  fables.  Review  punctuation  practice. 

If  time  permits,  the  foregoing  program  may  easily  be 
expanded  to  fill  three  weeks  very  profitably  by  carrying 
out  the  following  program : 

Have  the  pupils  write  some  fable  or  other  good  short 
story. 

Correct  the  papers  carefully,  copying  on  separate  slips 
of  paper: 

1.  The  spelling  mistakes. 

2.  The  errors  in  grammar. 

3.  Expressions  containing  misused  words. 

4.  Several  sentences  showing  faulty  structure;  as,  those 
containing  too  many  <vands." 

5.  Mispunctuated  sentences;  as,  those  showing  the  mis- 
use of  quotation  marks. 

On  each  of  the  foregoing  type  faults  plan  a  lesson. 
One  day  may  be  given  to  spelling  drill,  another  to  correct 
usage,  another  to  vocabulary  work,  another  to  sentence 
building,  and  another  to  punctuation. 

In  looking  for  the  faults  in  the  stories,  do  not  overlook 
the  well  constructed  sentences,  the  well  chosen  words, 
and  those  papers  free  from  errors  in  spelling,  grammar 
and  punctuation. 


98 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT— LITTLE   FOLK   OF 
OTHER  LANDS 

A  Patriotic  Study 

"Have  you  ever  stopped  to  think  that  our  own  coun- 
try is  the  home  of  people  from  almost  every  land  under 
the  sun? 

"  There  must  be  some  good  reason  why  so  many 
different  peoples  have  come  to  America  to  make  their 
homes.  Some  of  them  came,  no  doubt,  with  the  thought 
of  getting  rich,  but  many  came  for  a  better  reason. 
What  was  it? 

"What  is  America  often  called?  What  privileges  does 
it  offer  to  the  poor  and  oppressed?" 

The  foregoing  vital  suggestions  found  in  Exercises  85 
and  86,  were  written  before  the  World  War.  They  have 
even  deeper  meaning  for  us  since  that  terrible  conflict. 
In  these  lessons  is  a  golden  opportunity  which  every 
truly  American  teacher  will  gladly  turn  to  good  account 
in  leading  her  pupils  to  express  thoughts  that  make  for 
a  pure  and  practical  patriotism. 

The  lesson  should  be  made  vital  by  being  connected 
with  the  everyday  lives  of  the  children.  Are  they  true 
Americans?  They  will  prove  it,  not  merely  by  saluting 
the  flag  and  singing  patriotic  songs,  but  also  by  talking 
about  and  doing  definite  little  American  duties  that 
come  to  them  every  day.  The  lesson  should  lead  the 
pupils  to  see  such  duties  and  give  them  a  desire  to  per- 
form them. 

In  this  study  language  is  correlated  with  geography, 
history,  and  civics.  The  study  naturally  falls  into  the 


FOURTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  99 

February  work,  when  the  spirit  of  patriotism  is  upper- 
most. About  three  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  the 
working  out  of  the  following  series  of  rich  lessons: 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Oral  lesson  on  little  folk  of      Reading  books  suggested  in 

other  lands.  Exercise  83. 

Report  on  reading.  Writing  about  foreign  chil- 
Talks  on  our  country.  dren. 

Songs  of  America.  Writing  names  of  peoples. 

Planning  patriotic  play.  Memorizing  patriotic  song. 

Presentation  of  the  play.  Writing  the  parts. 

Drill  on  Correct-Usage  Table  4.  Use  these  forms 
correctly:  went,  gone.  Fill  the  blanks  with  the  right 
form  of  see,  do,  come,  go. 

Have  you the  soldiers  marching? 

Have  you your  duty? 

Did  you when  your  country  called? 

Where  have  the  soldiers ? 

Answer  the  questions  using  the  right  forms  of  the  verbs  given.  Make 
other  questions  using  the  verbs  and  answer  them. 

Review  drill  on  Correct-Usage  Table  3.  Use  these 
forms  correctly. 

Lesson  on  the  Comma  and  Capitals.    Review  the  rules. 

This  practice  should  be  blended  with  the  composition 
work.  Correct  the  stories  written  by  the  pupils  on  "For- 
eign Children."  Copy  from  these  stories  sentences  that 
need  attention;  have  the  sentences  written  on  the  board 
and  punctuated  properly. 

The  following  compositions  on  the  general  subject 
"Foreign  Children"  were  created  by  fourth  grade  pupils 
in  working  out  Exercise  84. 


ioo  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

A  STORY  OF  A  LITTLE  CHINESE  BOY 

One  day  my  sister  had  to  take  care  of  a  little  Chinese  boy. 

We  have  a  magpie,  and  he  said,  "Me  play  with  the  Magie  cause  me 
have  one  at  home." 

After  dinner  my  brother  took  him  out  in  the  front  yard  and  he  said, 
"Shall  me  show  you  my  tricks?"  And  my  brother  said,  "Yes." 

And  he  turned  somersaults  and  did  so  many  funny  things. 

At  dinner  we  had  peas  and  my  father  was  taking  some  peas  and  the 
boy  said,  "Leave  some  for  me." 

We  all  laughed  and  he  said,  "You  don't  need  to  laugh  at  me." 

AN  ESKIMO  BOY 

I  am  an  Eskimo.  We  live  in  the  North.  We  have  houses  made  of 
snow  and  ice.  My  father  and  I  go  out  to  get  seals  about  every  week. 
First  we  take  a  large  fish  hook  and  tie  a  rope  on  the  fish  hook.  Then  we 
find  a  place  where  the  seals  live  and  put  the  end  of  the  hook  down  through 
the  ice  and  the  seals  get  the  hook  in  their  mouths  and  we  pull  them  up. 
We  wear  animal  skins. 

In  creating  a  little  play  on  "  America — The  Land  of 
All  Nations,"  (Exercise  85)  a  certain  class  selected  one 
of  their  number  as  Uncle  Sam,  and  another  as  Aunt 
Columbia. 

The  verse  of  the  little  song  they  created  ran  thus : 

Hurrah  for  Uncle  Sammy 
And  Aunt  Columbia,  too; 
And  for  Our  America — 
And  the  red,  white,  and  blue. 

Each  pupil  chose  to  represent  a  little  foreign  child, 
and  made  a  verse  of  his  own  about  the  character  he 
represented. 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE— SPRING  IN  SONG 
AND  STORY 

The  spirit  of  spring,  full  of  sunshine  and  flowers  and 
bird  songs  and  .brook  songs,  has  found  expression  in 
numberless  poems  and  stories.  Folklore  is  full  of  fanciful 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE      101 

tales  that  picture  springtime  as  a  delightful  goddess  or 
fairy.  To  retell  and  play  these  tales,  to  sing  the  sweet 
songs  of  spring,  and  to  talk  of  the  season  is  to  have  a 
blended  language,  literature,  and  nature  study. 

The  following  program  provided  to  guide  this  study 
may  well  be  extended  to  fill  a  month  of  worth-while 
work. 

Lesson  i.     Poems  of  Springtime 

This  should  be  enriched  with  other  poems:  " Rollick- 
ing Robin,"  "The  Brown  Thrush,"  "The  Bluebird," 
(See  First  Book,  Part  I,  Exercise  65)  "Robin's  Secret," 
and  other  bird  poems  may  be  used  here.  "The  Wind  in 
a  Frolic,"  "The  Night  Wind,"  "The  Wind  and  the 
Swing,"  with  other  songs  of  the  wind,  suited  to  this 
grade,  will  also  serve  well.  Rain  poems,  such  as  "It 
Isn't  Raining  Rain  to  Me,"  may  also  be  used. 

Seat  Work.  Memorize  some  bird  poem  or  a  stanza 
from  a  poem  you  like. 

Lesson  2.     Messengers  of  Spring 

A  vocabulary-building  exercise  blending  with  the 
spring  spirit  is  here  given. 

Seat  Work.  During  two  or  more  periods  the  pupils 
may  learn  to  spell  the  names  of  the  common  birds, 
flowers,  insects,  and  animals  connected  with  the  coming 
of  spring.  A  flower  collection  may  be  begun  at  this 
point  if  desired,  by  gathering,  pressing,  mounting,  and 
labeling  various  spring  flowers. 


102  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  3.    An  Old  Tale  of  Springtime 

After  enjoying  and  playing  this  beautiful  Indian 
myth  of  springtime,  the  pupils  may  read  and  tell  or  play 
any  of  the  others  suggested. 

Seat  Work.  Continue  the  flower  collection,  or,  if 
preferred,  draw  illustrations  for  one  of  the  spring  stories. 

A  week  or  more  may  be  given  to  this  work  of  story 
telling  and  dramatization. 

Lesson  4.     Growing  Gardens 

The  study  here  takes  a  practical  turn.  Window  gar- 
dens or  home  gardens  or  school  gardens,  as  the  situation 
demands,  may  be  used  in  carrying  this  project  forward. 

Have  an  oral  lesson  in  which  the  garden  plan  is  dis- 
cussed; then  let  each  pupil,  or  the  class,  carry  out  what- 
ever practicable  plan  is  made. 

Seat  Work.  Follow  the  suggestions  given  in  Exercises 
97  and  98. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN— GENERAL  REVIEW 

Some  time  in  April,  right  after  the  time  usually 
given  for  spring  vacation,  the  roundup  reviews  in  Correct 
Usage,  Enunciation,  Punctuation,  and  Letter  Forms,  and 
other  mechanical  phases  of  language  should  be  given. 
About  three  weeks  may  well  be  devoted  to  these  reviews. 

The  drill  should  be  varied  and  vital.  The  tongue- 
training  exercises  and  finger  practice,  may  be  given  in 
the  form  of  language  games  and  "language  matches," 
similar  to  the  old  "  spelling  match,"  as  well  as  in  lively 
direct  drills,  written  work,  and  other  devices. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


103 


Correct-Usage  Language  Matches 
The  class  may  have  the  blackboard  divided  into  as 
many  parts  as  there  are  rows  of  pupils  in  the  room.  At 
the  top  of  each  division  the  teacher  may  write  some 
troublesome  form.  The  pupils  at  a  given  signal,  may 
then  run  lightly  to  the  board,  one  from  each  row  at  a 
time,  beginning  with  the  pupil  in  the  farthest  seat.  Each 
must  write  a  sentence  using  the  given  form  correctly. 
The  row  that  finishes  first  wins. 

The  result,  for  illustration,  may  look  somewhat  like 
the  following: 

Forms  to  be  used:  threw,  knew,   blew,  grew,   drew 


He  threw  the  ball. 

The  boy  threw  a  stone. 

I  threw  the  ball. 

She  knew  me. 

He  knew  his  lesson. 

John  knew  the 

The    wind   blew 

It  blew  down  trees. 

captain. 

hard. 
It  grew  fast. 
He  drew  a  picture. 

It  grew  by  the  brook. 
She  drew  a  tree. 

My    hat    blew 
away. 
The  rose  grew 

rapidly. 

I  drew  a  house. 

Another  kind  of  " language  match"  may  be  had  by 
letting  the  pupils  work  individually.  Give  certain  tables 
and  time  the  work.  The'  one  who  finishes  all  correctly 
first,  wins. 

Drills  like  the  foregoing  can  be  worked  out  with  each 
of  the  language  tables  given  on  pages  69,  70. 

Practice  also  in  writing  letter  forms  should  be  given, 
especially  in  writing  dates  and  addresses. 

Review  of  the  rules  involved  should  be  given  with  the 
drill. 


104  LIVE   LANGUAGE   LESSONS 

Application  of  the  drill  to  the  pupil's  daily  language 
needs  should  also  be  made. 

Focus  the  drills  also  on  the  ''trouble  spots."  Thus 
threw,  and  has  thrown  are  the  forms  of  the  verb  throw, 
on  which  drill  is  most  needed.  The  form  throw  is  seldom 
if  ever,  misused.  Likewise  doesn't,  not  don't,  and  were, 
not  was,  should  receive  major  attention,  since  don't  and 
was  are  the  over  used  forms.  As  a  prominent  superin- 
tendent used  to  put  it,  teachers  should  learn  to  "  grease 
the  squeak."  This  practical  suggestion  applies  not  only 
in  spelling,  but  in  language  and  in  all  other  subjects. 

Punctuation  Practice 

The  effort  here  should  be  to  train  the  fingers.  As  in 
dealing  with  Correct  Usage,  the  drills  in  punctuation 
may  be  given  in  the  form  of  games  if  desired.  There  are 
several  ways  of  doing  this. 

The  blackboard  may  be  divided  into  as  many  parts 
as  there  are  rows  or,  if  the  class  is  small,  each  pupil  may 
have  a  section  of  the  board.  A  rule  of  punctuation  may 
be  given;  as,  The  use  of  the  comma  in  a  series.  The 
pupils  in  each  row,  beginning  with  the  one  farthest  from 
the  board,  run  lightly  to  the  board  and  write  a  sentence 
illustrative  of  the  rule.  The  row  first  completing  the 
work  wins. 

Another  game  may  be  played  by  choosing  sides  and 
pairing  the  pupils.  One  pupil  writes  a  sentence  without 
capitals  or  punctuation  marks;  his  partner  supplies 
these.  The  errors  made  are  counted  against  the  side 
making  them.  The  one  writing  the  sentence  must  be 


FOURTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  105 

prepared  to  punctuate  his  own  sentence  and  give  the  rule, 
or  the  failure  will  count  one  against  his  side. 

Still  another  way  to  give  good  punctuation  practice  is 
to  have  each  pupil  of  one  grade  write  a  correctly  punctu- 
ated sentence  on  the  board.  His  partner  reads  the 
sentence  giving  orally  the  rules  governing  the  punctua- 
tion. For  example: 

1.  We  had  candy,  nuts,  oranges,  apples,  and  ice  cream. 
Rules:  Words  in  a  series  should  be  separated  from  each 

other  by  commas.   Close  every  statement  with  a  period. 

2.  Mary,  where  are  you? 

Rules:  Words  used  in  address  are  set  off  by  commas. 
Close  every  question  with  a  question  mark. 

3.  I  don't  want  to  go. 

Rule:  Place  an  apostrophe  in  contractions. 

Enunciation  Exercises 

The  words  given  in  Exercise  103  may  be  organized 
into  Tongue-Training  Tables,  as  suggested  on  page  71. 
Aim  in  drilling  to  overcome  certain  bad  habits  by  fixing 
better  ones.  For  illustration: 

To  Overcome  "Jaw  Laziness"      . 

just        can        get         catch       shut       gather       together 
cow        now       plow      how         corn       farm          storm 

To  Cultivate  "Right  Resonance" 

reading       writing          spelling         running       playing 
skipping      eating  throwing       jumping      seeing 

To  Train  the  Tongue 

swept          wept  kept  slept  slit 

hit  pit  little  brittle         kettle 


io6 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


To  Overcome  "Lip  Laziness" 

white  whip  when  whittle  which 

whether      feather          lip  flip  trip 

To  Check  the  "Hurry  Habit" 

geography       history       give  me        bakery  handkerchief 

arithmetic       library        let  me          grocery  pumpkin 


GENERAL  STUDY  ELEVEN— MA YTIME 

This  final  study  opens  the  way  for  a  language  romp 
with  "Gypsy  May/'  In  this  blossoming  month  of  the 
year,  nature  is  most  inviting.  Many  of  the  lessons  may 
be  given  out  of  doors,  if  desired.  After  a  May  walk,  the 
pupils  will  be  eager  to  talk  on  the  various  topics  sug- 
gested. 

A  rich  variety  of  exercises  for  oral  and  written  work 
is  to  be  found  in  the  following  program : 


For  the  Recitation 
Talking  about  merry  May. 
Oral  and  written  sketches  as 

suggested    by    topics    in 

Exercise  105. 
Mothers'  Day  letters. 
Flower-language  games. 

Apple  blossoms. 
Writing  flower  songs. 
Creating  a  flower  play. 


For  Seat  Work 

During  this  period  a  May- 
time  booklet  should  be 
produced,  containing: 

The  flower  collection. 

Pictures  of  Maytime. 

Mothers'  Day  poems  and 
sentiments. 

Flower  poems. 

Little  stories  of  May  walks. 

Other  Maytime  suggestions. 


The  following  little  flower  play  shows  what  may  be 
produced  by  fourth  grade  pupils  working  freely  under 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE      107 

the  lead  of  a  teacher  who  catches  the  spirit  of  live 
language  work. 

THE  FLOWER  FESTIVAL 

Flower  Fairies:  Flowers: 

First  Fairy— Esther  Daisy— Ethel 

Second  Fairy — Marian  Rose — Hugh 

Dandelion — Sara 
Tulip— Nathan 
Apple  Blossoms — Lucian 
Violet— Violet 

Flower  Enemies:  Lilac — Elizabeth 

Spider — Joe  Lily — Max 

Rabbit— Dale  Forget-me-not— Dorothy 

Ant— Mildred  Daffodil— Robert 

First  Flower  Fairy: 

I  am  a  fairy,  I  come  in  the  spring. 
I  come  to  hear  the  little  birds  sing. 
I  like  to  see  the  flowers,  too, 
Up  as  high  as  your  head 
Or  as  low  as  your  shoe. 
When  Merry  May  goes  away 
There's  no  use  for  me  to  stay. 

Second  Fairy: 

I  am  a  flower  fairy. 

I  am  always  so  merry. 

I  take  care  of  the  flowers  so  bright 

And  sleep  with  them  till  morning  light. 

I  come  in  the  spring. 

In  the  winter  I  hide, 

For  in  winter  the  flowers  do  not  stay, 

But  I'm  here  with  you  to-day. 

The  rose  I  love  so  well. 

And  another  is  the  bluebell. 

They  are  so  sweet 

And  very  neat. 

We  love  the  flowers  of  May 

That  are  here  to-day. 


io8  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

. :-    First  Fairy  (urging  flowers  to  choose  the  May  Queen): 
The  birds  are  singing,  ' 
The  bells  are  ringing, 
The  children  are  saying, 
"In  May  we  go  playing." 
Well,  my  dears,  what  have  you  to  say? 
Have  you  something  to  tell  this  happy  day? 
You  have  permission  to  choose  your  queen, 
On  the  bright  grass  of  lovely  green. 

Daisy: 

,  :          I  am  a  little  daisy 

So  innocent  and  pure; 

The  perfume  I  give  is  hazy 

But  yet  enough  to  lure. 

Rose: 

The  roses  are  all  in  bloom. 

Their  colors  are  pink  and  red. 

I  don't  think  there's  enough  room  for  them  to  bloom, 

For  that's  what  the  children  said. 

The  beautiful  red  roses 

They  bloom  in  the  fall, 

And  at  night  they  close. 

They're  always  climbing  over  the  wall. 

Dandelion: 

I  am  a  dandelion  so  gay. 

I  bloom  in  the  merry  month  of  May. 

I  hold  lots  of  light, 

And  make  people  bright. 

In  my  center  I  am  gold. 
Some  people  think  me  very  bold. 
I  grow  in  the  day  time. 
I  am  very  neat  and  fine. 

Tulip: 

The  tulips  are  red  and  yellow, 
Colors  bright  to  please  the  eye; 
For  so  long  there  were  no  flowers, 
But  the  snowflakes  in  the  sky. 

Tulips  red  and  tulips  yellow, 
Coming  in  the  early  spring, 
Snowflakes  are  no  longer  with  us. 
How  the  birds  begin  to  sing! 


FOURTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  109 

Apple  Blossoms: 

The  apple  blossoms  are  in  bloom, 
And  the  pink  buds  are  falling. 
When  the  apple  blossoms  are  in  bloom 
"Apples  are  coming,"  they're  calling. 

Violet: 

I  am  the  little  violet  with  eyes  so  very  blue 

Who  brings  to  you  this  day  my  message  of  love  so  true. 

My  home  is  in  the  woodlands  and  in  the  meadows  fair; 

But  if  I  weren't  so  very,  very  modest 

I  would  be  found  most  everywhere. 

Dear  little  violet  with  eyes  so  blue, 

Bringing  a  message  of  love  so  true. 

Lilac: 

I  am  a  lilac  purple  and  white, 
I  bring  to  people  joy  and  delight. 
I  grow  on  a  bush  that  is  quite  tall, 
And  I  am  a  flower  very  small. 
I  live  in  a  garden  with  other  flowers 
And  there  I  sit  many  hours. 

Lily: 

The  lily  is  a  dear,  little  flower, 
Its  petals  look  like  bells. 
It  tries  to  ring  them  every  hour 
But  it  cannot  ring  the  bells. 

Forget-me-not: 

I  am  a  dear  little  forget-me-not, 

I  grow  in  the  summer  when  it  is  hot. 

I  am  not  very  tall, 

Nor  yet  very  small. 

My  color  is  blue 

And  that  means  that  I  am  true. 

I  bloom  in  the  spring 

When  the  birds  begin  to  sing, 

And  I  die  in  the  fall 

When  Jack  Frost  kills  us  all. 

Daffodils: 

I  am  a  little  daffy-do wn-dilly, 
The  little  boy  calls  me  his  pretty  lily. 
I  have  a  pretty  long  stem  of  green, 
But  I  choose  violet  for  my  queen. 


no  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Second  Fairy: 

But  have  you  flowers  no  enemies 
No  enemies  at  all? 
You  answer,  "The  Spider's  web  is 
By  the  garden  wall." 

Spider: 

I  live  in  a  cobweb  that  is  so  round, 
I  make  a  squeaky  little  sound. 
I  set  the  petals  of  the  flowers  so  red 
And  spin  my  house  with  a  thin  thread. 

Rabbit: 

I'm  a  little  Bunny  Rabbit. 

I  am  so  fond  of  running  all  around, 

I  have  a  habit 

Of  getting  turnips  from  the  farmer's  ground. 

Ant: 

I'm  a  very  busy  little  ant, 
I  work  long,  tiresome  hours. 
I'm  very  fond  of  the  honey 
That  I  find  inside  the  flowers. 

That's  why  I'm  called  their  enemy, 
But  I  do  not  mean  to  be. 
I'm  simply  fond  of  sweet  things 
Like  my  friend  the  busy  bee. 

Lilac: 

I  think  I  like  the  daisy  best, 
But  let  us  vote  or  have  a  test. 
Perhaps  you  like  some  flower  better 
We  will  write  the  queen  a  letter. 

Rabbit: 

While  we  are  gathered  in  this  section 
We  will  have  a  grand  election. 
The  queen  will  be  declared  in  blossom  gay 
On  this  bright,  beautiful,  happy  day. 
(Vote  is  taken.     Violet  is  chosen.) 

Daffodil: 

We  have  chosen  the  violet  Queen  of  the  May, 
She  is  decked  in  blossoms  purple  and  gay. 


FOURTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE      in 

Lilac: 

Hail  to  the  violet,  Queen  of  the  May 
She  is  crowned  by  us  to-day. 

The  foregoing  play  suggests  some  of  the  possibilities 
of  creative  work  even  in  the  primary  grades.  Such 
motivated  lessons  are  rich  in  their  language  returns.  Not 
only  do  they  stimulate  the  spirit  of  authorship;  but  they 
give  excellent  opportunity  for  more  formal  lessons  in 
vocabulary  work,  punctuation,  correct  usage,  and 
spelling. 

The  pupils  should  leave  the  fourth  grade  with  the 
simpler  forms  of  speech  and  writing  on  their  tongues  and 
in  their  fingers.  They  should  have  acquired  some  love 
for  literature  and  some  appreciation  of  their  own 
thoughts  and  experiences.  Best  of  all,  they  should 
gain  from  the  study  of  their  first  language  book  a  lasting 
love  for  the  work. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — SECOND  BOOK,  PART  ONE* 
GENERAL  OUTLINE 

In  this  grade  the  lines  of  work  given  in  the  fourth 
grade  are  carried  forward  with  the  following  objectives 
in  view: 

1.  A  little  firmer  holding  for  accuracy  of  form,  not,  how- 
ever, at  the  expense  of  fluency  and  originality. 

2.  Some  increase  in  written  work,  but  with  the  oral  work 
still  receiving  the  greater  emphasis. 

3.  More  definite  attention  to  paragraph  building. 

4.  Teaching  of  other  Correct-Usage  Tables,  with  review 
drills  on  those  already  given  in  the  fourth  grade. 

5.  More  Exercises  in  Enunciation  and  in  Punctuation 
Practice. 

The  following  outline  gives  the  general  plan  of  pro- 
cedure for  the  fifth  grade : 

I.    Expression  Studies        II.     Skill-Building  Exercises 

i.    The  World's  Workers 

Talks  about  workers.  Vocabulary  building. 

Boy  and  girl  workers.  Study  of  paragraphs. 

Letter  writing  on  work.  Correct-usage  drills. 

*Also  Elementary  Book,  Part  Two. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 113 

2.    Indian  Life 

Talks  about  Indians.  Capital  letter  lessons. 

Writing  Indians  stories.  Correct-usage  drills. 

Dramatizing  Indian  stories.        Punctuation  reviews. 

3.    Thanksgiving 

Thanksgiving  plays.  Vocabulary  building. 

Tales  of  Thanskgiving  feast.       Correct-usage  drills. 
Writing  invitations.  Punctuation  practice. 

4.  Christmas  Stories     . 

Christmas  stories.  Writing  conversation. 

Paragraph  pictures.  Enunciation  exercises. 

Christmas  rhymes.  Correct-usage  drills. 

5.    Our  Animal  Friends 

Animal  intelligence.  Correct-usage  drills. 

Making  animal  books.  Enunciation  exercises. 

Talks  on  care  of  animals.  Reviews  on  punctuation. 

6.   Brave  Boys  and  Girls 

Everyday  heroism.  Contractions  and  quotations. 

Letters  from  boys  and  girls.         Paragraph  studies. 
Our  country's  heroes.  Enunciation  exercises. 

7.    Spring  Work  and  Spring  Play 
Talks  about  spring  work.  Vocabulary  building. 

Debates  on  practical  topics         Correct-usage  drills. 
Business  letter  writing.  Punctuation  practice. 

Funny  stories  and  rhymes.         Tongue  training. 

8.    Bird  Life 
Stories  about  birds.  Writing    paragraphs    about 

birds. 

Talks  on  protecting  birds.  Vocabulary  study. 

Bird  letters  and  diaries.  Practice  on  letter  forms. 

Writing  bird  poems.  Enunciation  exercises. 


ii4  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

9.  Reviews 

Paragraph  building.  Correct  usage. 

Letter  writing.  Tongue  training. 

Verse  making.  Punctuation  practice. 

10.  Spring  Sports 

Talks  about  games.  Overcoming  slang  habits. 

Boys  and  girls  that  win.  Vocabulary  building. 

Study  of  poem.  Tongue-training  drills. 

Correct-Usage  Tables  for  Fifth  Grade 

Continuing  the  drills  on  the  "  multiplication  table  of 
language,"  the  fifth  grade  plan  provides: 

1.  Systematic  reviews  of  the  correct-usage  tables  given  in 
the  fourth  grade.     (See  pages  69,  70). 

2.  Teaching,  with  drill  exercises,  the  following  additional 
tables: 

I.   Correct  Usage — Grammar 

Table  6.    Transitive  and  Intransitive  Forms 
Lie,  lay;  sit,  set;  rise,  raise. 

Table  7.   Troublesome  Principal  Parts 

Ate,  eaten;  took,  taken;  broke,  broken;  wrote,  written; 

bit,  bitten;  fell,  fallen;  stole,  stolen;  drive,  driven;  rode, 

ridden;  chose,  chosen;  gave,  given;  froze,  frozen. 

Table  8.    Needless  Words. 

John  he,  haye  got,  this  here,  that  there,  hadn't  ought. 

Drill  against  these  trouble-makers  by  using  such  sen- 
tences as: 

The  man  was  lame.  That  is  his  knife. 

The  general  was  killed.  That  is  my  book. 

Have  you  a  knife?  Has  he  a  dog? 

I  have  a  pony.  You  shouldn't  go. 

This  is  my  hat.  You  should  not  do  it. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  115 

The  course  as  planned  will  fill  the  school  year.  If  it  is 
found  necessary  in  ungraded  and  shorter-term  schools  to 
shorten  the  course,  the  following  exercises  may  best  be 
omitted:  7,  u,  13,  17,  21,  24,  32,  35,  37,  54,  73,  74,  87, 
and  99. 

The  composition  studies,  or  projects,  may  be  readily 
correlated  with  nature  study,  literature,  geography, 
history,  and  industrial  and  social  studies. 

The  best  results  will  come  from  following  the  plan  of 
the  book,  not  slavishly,  but  somewhat  faithfully. 

II.     Punctuation  and  Capitalization 

Review  practice  on  all  the  rules  for  use  of  capitals  and 
punctuation  marks  previously  taught,  is  systematically 
given. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  fifth  grade  is  also  taught : 

1.  The  use  of  capitals  in  writing  titles. 

2.  The  use  of  the  comma  with  appositives. 

3.  The  divided  quotation. 

4.  How  to  build  paragraphs. 

5.  How  to  write  invitations. 

6.  How  to  write  business  letters. 

7.  How  to  keep  a  diary. 

III.    Enunciation  Exercises 

1.  Overcoming  "  jaw  laziness  " :  for,  or,  and,  was,  because, 
what,  always. 

2.  Overcoming  "tongue  tightness":   throw,  three,  thick, 
this,  swept,  wept,  kept. 

3.  Overcoming    " faulty   resonance":     singing,    ringing, 
bringing,  sparkling. 


ii6 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

4.  Overcoming  "  lip  laziness  " :  when,  whip,  which,  where, 
whistle. 

5.  Overcoming  "  the  hurry  habit ":  Did  you?  could  you? 
would  you?  let  me,  give  me,  see  them,  grocery,  bakery, 
yesterday,  quiet. 

These  exercises  should  be  increased  by  adding  other 
similar  words  illustrative  of  the  various  faults  named. 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE— THE  WORLD'S 
WORKERS 

This  study,  carried  out  in  the  right  spirit,  will  give: 

1.  An  appreciation  of  honest  work. 

2.  Opportunity  for  pupils   to  discuss   their  own  work 
problems. 

3.  Motivated  practice  in  the  use  of  certain  forms  of 
speech. 

A  program  of  practical  lessons,  enough  to  fill  four 
weeks  with  profitable  work,  is  planned. 

In  preparation  for  this  study,  let  the  pupils  join  with 
the  teacher  in  gathering  stories  and  pictures  about  the 
world's  workers. 

Lesson  i.     Talks  about  Workers  and  Their  Work 

The  opening  paragraph  and  the  stanza  from  "The 
Village  Blacksmith,"  perhaps  the  whole  poem,  may  be 
read  to  open  up  this  study.  Pupils,  led  by  the  suggestions 
therein,  will  be  ready  to  tell  of  their  experiences  in 
watching  various  workers. 

Seat  Work.  Use  the  vocabulary  work  in  Exercise  2. 
The  blanks  may  be  filled  with  words  from  the  list  or  with 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 117 

other   suitable   words   of    the   pupils'    own    choosing. 
Individuality  should  be  tactfully  encouraged. 

Lesson  2.     Poet  Pictures  of  Workers 

Language  and  literature  here  are  blended.  Study 
"Tubal  Cain,"  "The  Village  Blacksmith,"  "The  Fisher- 
man," "The  Song  of  Steam,"  "Little  Brown  Hands," 
and  other  poems  you  may  find  dealing  with  the  world's 
workers. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  make  a  word  blacksmith 
shop  or  other  work  shop  by  drawing  a  sketch  of  such  a 
place  and  filling  it  with  names  of  fixtures  and  tools;  as, 
anvil,  forge,  sledge. 

Lesson  3.     Stories  of  Workers 

In  "Luke  Varnum"  is  a  choice  lesson  on  practical 
patriotism.  By  using  the  questions  that  follow  it,  and 
by  giving  others,  lead  the  pupils  to  read  and  talk  about 
the  story. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  find  and  read  other  stories 
of  young  workers  suggested. 

Lesson  4.     Telling  and  Playing  Stories 

Let  the  various  stories  found  by  the  pupils  be  retold 
and  some  perhaps  acted. 

Seat  Work.  The  Mounting  of  Pictures. 

Let  the  pupils  each  make  a  display  of  the  pictures 
showing  some  interesting  process  of  work;  as,  raising 
cotton;  growing  wheat;  making  hay;  making  candy. 
The  pictures  procured  may  be  mounted  on  large  card- 
boards about  one  and  a  half  feet  by  two  feet,  and  hung 


n8 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


about  the  room  while  the  study  goes  on.  Encourage  each 
pupil  to  take  some  original  subject.  The  pupils  may  be 
mutually  helpful  by  arranging  an  exchange  of  pictures. 

Lesson  5.     Paragraph  Studies 

The  paragraph  is  here  formally  introduced.  Pupils 
will,  no  doubt,  have  recognized  the  paragraph  before; 
but  now  its  meaning  should  be  made  clear  by  direct 
study.  From  here  on  through  the  fifth  and  sixth  grades, 
attention  will  be  given  constantly  to  the  building  of 
paragraphs. 

Seat  Work.  A  study  of  paragraphs  as  found  in  "Luke 
Varnum"  or  in  some  story  in  the  readers,  may  be  given. 

Lesson  6.     Choosing  a  Subject  to  Talk  About 
This  lesson  begins  with  the  question,  "Which  occupa- 
tion do  you  wish  to  follow?"   Why?  Let  each  pupil  be 
led  to  reveal  his  interests,  then  guided  in  selecting  an 
occupation  on  which  he  can  develop  his  talk. 

Seat  Work.  A  spelling  lesson  on  the  names  of  various 
common  occupations  may  be  studied.  For  example: 


carpenter 

blacksmith 

mason 


plumber 

electrician 

janitor 


farmer 

gardener 

teamster 


The  pupil  may  make  his  own  list  and,  if  desired, 
illustrate  by  drawing  simple  pictures  of  the  workmen  at 
their  work. 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 119 

Lesson  7.    Planning  the  Talks 

A  beginning  lesson  in  the  simple  outlining  of  subjects 
is  given  here.  After  helping  each  pupil  to  plan  his  little 
talk,  let  him,  during  Seat  Work,  write  an  outline  of  it. 

Lesson  8.     A  Play  for  Young  Workers 
Several  periods  may  be  given  here  to  working  out  the 
exercises  suggested: 

1.  Written  paragraph  pictures  of  various  workers. 

2.  Verses  to  suggest  the  spirit  of  the  workers. 

The  planning  of  a  little  " Labor  Day"  play  will  add 
zest  to  this  work. 

The  following  are  some  rhymes  created  under  the 
stimulus  of  this  exercise  by  fifth  grade  pupils: 

"Ric-a-tac,  ric-a-tac,  ric-a-tac-too! 

Hear  the  sound  of  the  hammer  upon  the  horseshoe." 

"Cling,  clang,  the  anvil  rings 
While  merrily  the  blacksmith  sings." 

The  sketches  and  poems  with  readings  and  songs  will 
make  a  delightful  program  to  round  out  this  first  part  of 
the  general  study. 

Lessons  9  to  15.     Boy  and  Girl  Workers — Lessons  on 

Thrift 

In  this  part  of  the  general  study  the  aim  is  to  help  the 
pupils  directly  to  get  into  right  habits  of  work  and 
thrift. 

The  lessons  offered  deal  with  vital  topics;  as,  " Earning 
my  First  Money,"  "Work  for  Boys  and  Girls,"  "Help- 
ing in  the  Home."  Added  to  these  may  be  Lessons  in 


120 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Thrift  and  other  worth-while  topics;  as,  " Holding  Down 
the  Candy  Habit,"  "How  I  Saved  for  a  Rainy  Day," 
"Peter  Penniless  and  Willie  Wise,"  "Mending  Holes  in 
My  Money  Pocket,"  "Wise  Ways  to  Use  Money." 
The  subjects  are  rich  in  suggestion.  Excellent  oral  and 
written  exercises  should  result  from  following  the 
directions  given  in  the  text. 

Seat  Work.  A  thrift  booklet  may  be  made.  Here 
language  and  arithmetic  blend  well.  In  the  book  may  be 
"Rules  for  Young  Workers,"  "Thrift  Maxims,"  and 
account  sheets  for  records  of  savings. 

During  the  last  week  Exercises  12,  13,  and  14  should 
be  studied.  The  drill  exercises  provided  may  be  increased 
if  necessary.  Work  for  the  fixing  of  the  right  habits  in 
tongue  and  fingers  by  driving  at  the  trouble-makers, 
especially  lie,  sit,  rise.  Other  tongue-training  exercises 
may  be  added  to  those  in  the  text  by  having  pupils  ask 
and  answer  questions;  as, 

When  did  the  sun  rise?  It  rose  at  six. 
Where  did  you  sit  during  the 

play?  I  sat  in  the  gallery. 

Won't  you  lie  down  a  while?  I  have  lain  for  an  hour. 

Or,  have  each  pupil  weave  into  sentences  these  trouble- 
some forms,  thus :  I  rose  at  seven,  sat  by  the  fire  studying 
for  half  an  hour,  then  lay  down  again. 

Or,  have  the  class  choose  sides  and  pair  the  pupils  on 
opposite  sides.  Those  on  one  side  may  write  on  slips  of 
paper  a  sentence  with  blanks  calling  for  the  use  of  forms 
of  lie,  sit,  rise,  or  other  troublesome  verbs.  The  slips 
may  be  passed  to  the  pupils  on  the  opposite  side  who  fill 
the  blanks  and  read  aloud  the  completed  sentences. 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  121 

Many  other  ways  by  which  the  drills  may  be  varied 
will  quickly  suggest  themselves  to  the  wide-awake 
teacher. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TWO— INDIAN  LIFE 

Every  boy  and  girl  loves  the  out-of-doors.  Tales  of 
the  Indian,  who  is  a  child  of  the  woods,  the  plains  and 
the  forest,  hold  a  charm  for  pupils  of  all  ages. 

This  study  aims,  first  of  all,  to  give  pupils  a  better 
view  of  the  true  heart  of  the  Redman.  It  offers  oppor- 
tunity for  a  study  of  these  first  Americans  wherein  the 
"dime  novel  Injun  stories"  portrayed  in  unworthy 
books  and  unworthy  " movies,"  will  be  displaced  by 
tales  that  measure  up  to  truth  and  thrill  with  the  romance 
of  reality. 

A  varied  program  of  talks,  stories,  plays,  and  sketches 
of  Indian  life,  with  correlated  exercises  in  vocabulary 
building,  correct  usage,  and  punctuation  practice,  is 
provided  for  a  month  of  work  as  follows: 

First  Week:  Talks  and  Stories  about  Indians. 
Second  Week:   Making  an  Indian  Booklet. 
Third  Week :   Plays  and  Sketches  of  Indian  Life. 
Fourth  Week:   Review  and  New  Drills  for  Tongue  and 
Fingers. 

In  beginning  this  Indian  study  it  will  be  well  first  to 
gather  as  many  Indian  story  books,  Indian  pictures,  and 
Indian  relics  as  can  be  found  and  brought  to  the  school. 

This  activity  will  be  stimulus  enough  to  prepare  the 
pupils  for  the  work. 


122  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lesson  i.     Talks  about  the  Indians 

Following  the  suggestions  of  Exercise  15,  make  this 
an  interesting  lesson  of  discovery  to  learn  first  of  the 
pupils'  direct  experiences  with  Indians  and  their  indirect 
knowledge  of  the  Indian  as  gained  through  books  and 
other  people. 

Seat  Work.  Let  the  pupils  read  the  Indian  stories 
suggested,  or  other  worthy  ones  they  can  get. 

Lesson  2.    An  Indian  Story  Hour 

Each  pupil  should  be  able  from  his  reading  to  partici- 
pate in  this  socialized  recitation.  Several  of  the  tales 
suggested  may  be  told,  perhaps  one  or  more  of  them 
played.  The  names  of  famous  Indian  men  and  women 
suggested  should  bring  up  many  choice  stories. 

Lesson  3.    The  Indians  and  the  Pioneers 

Let  the  pupils  read  and  enjoy  the  story  "  Lured  from 
His  Home  by  the  Indians."  Or,  they  may  now  have  the 
privilege  of  reading  the  full  story  in  "The  White  Indian 
Boy." 

Following  the  questions  at  the  close  of  the  story,  they 
may  be  led  to  talk  about  the  boy  who  was  lured  from 
home,  and  to  give  their  own  ideas  of  what  might  happen 
to  him. 

Seat  Work.  Begin  the  work  on  The  Indian  Story 
Booklet.  This  should  be  a  class  booklet  to  which  every 
pupil  contributes  something;  as,  An  Original  Indian 
Story,  Indian  Pictures,  Sketches  of  Indians,  Indian 
Words,  or  a  story  from  book  sources  retold.  Several 
study  periods  will  be  necessary  to  complete  this  booklet. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 123 

Lesson  4.     A  Lesson  on  Capital  Letters 
Follow  the  suggestions  in  the  text  for  this  exercise. 

Lesson  5.  Dramatizing  Stories  from  Hiawatha 
This  poem  by  Longfellow  offers  opportunity  for 
excellent  work  in  literature  and  language.  The  selections 
named  from  it  make  a  rather  complete  presentation  of 
the  main  story.  If  the  class  is  large,  the  pupils  may  be 
divided  into  groups,  each  group  presenting  one  of  the 
five  stories. 

Seat  Work.    Complete  the  Indian  booklet. 

Lesson  6.     Paragraph  Pictures 
In  this  vocabulary  exercise,  the  pupils  may  be  allowed 
to  find  suitable  words  besides  those  given,  if  they  need  to 
do  so  to  make  some  pictures  they  have  in  mind. 

Seat  Work.  Continue  the  vocabulary  building  by 
following  the  directions  under  Exercise  24. 

Lesson  7.    Indian  Sketches  or  a  Play  on  Indian  Life 

Exercise  23  can  be  worked  out  as  a  series  of  little  talks, 
each  pupil  outlining  and  presenting  his  selected  topic. 
Or  the  interesting  ways  of  the  Indians  may  be  presented 
through  acting  and  talking  in  the  form  of  a  little  Indian 
play.  This  latter  plan  was  followed  by  one  fifth  grade 
with  excellent  results. 

The  boys  were  the  warriors.  They  chose  their  chief, 
their  medicine  men,  their  arrow  makers.  The  girls  were 
the  squaws.  They  tended  the  papooses,  cooked  the 
food,  tanned  buckskins,  made  moccasins,  wove  baskets, 
and  did  other  kinds  of  Indian  work. 


124 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


The  little  play  began  with  a  wild  war  song,  composed 
by  the  class  and  sung  by  the  boys.  One  stanza  of  it  ran 
thus: 

"Ki-yi!  ki-yi!  We  are  Indians  bold! 
We  hunt  the  hills  for  grizzly  bear! 
We  chase  the  wolf  into  his  lair! 
We  kill  our  foes  and  lift  their  hair ! 
Ki-yi!  ki-yi!  We  are  warriors  bold !" 
After  the  singing  the  chief  gave  directions  to  his 
scouts,  to  his  hunters,  and  to  others;  then  the  boys  went 
out. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


125 


When  they  had  gone  the  little  squaw  mothers  first 
soothed  their  papooses  to  sleep  with  the  following  lullaby, 
composed,  both  words  and  music,  by  the  class: 

THE  PAPOOSE  LULLABY 


t 


i 


/£//- 


o&- 


r         r 

d  J  J  IJ 


I 


by 


e/o. 


126  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  babies  are  put  to  sleep.  Then  the  squaws  go  on 
with  their  various  kinds  of  work,  chatting  about  various 
things  they  are  doing  and  showing  their  work  one  to 
another. 

A  wild  war  whoop  changes  the  scene,  as  the  victorious 
warriors  and  hunters  return.  When  all  are  assembled, 
the  chief  has  various  ones  tell  of  their  adventures.  A 
feast  follows,  then  a  dance,  during  which  the  opening 
song  is  repeated,  concludes  the  play. 

Lessons  8  to  12  should  be  given  to  reviewing  the 
Correct-Usage  Tables  found  in  Exercises  26  and  27,  and 
the  punctuation  practice  in  Exercise  25  and  Section  III, 
Exercise  27.  These  exercises  will  make  enough  good 
lessons  to  round  out  the  month.  Perhaps  as  a  close  the 
Indian  play  can  be  given  out-of-doors  during  Indian 
Summer  time. 


GENERAL   STUDY  THREE— THANKSGIVING 

Opportunity  is  here  given  to  correlate  language  with 
both  history  and  geography.  The  books  suggested  in 
Exercise  29,  and  other  good  ones  on  the  Pilgrims  should 
be  procured  for  the  class  library  if  possible.  Pictures  and 
decorations  to  give  atmosphere  to  the  work  should  also 
be  placed  in  the  schoolroom. 

The  program  is  planned  to  fill  the  time  between 
Hallowe'en  and  Thanksgiving. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  127 

Lesson  i.     The  Spirit  and  Story  of  Thanksgiving 

The  poem  and  the  Biblical  quotations,  with  others  like 
them,  should  be  read  and  the  pupils  led  to  express  their 
own  Thanksgiving  thought. 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  write  sentiments  in  prose 
or  in  verse  expressive  of  the  spirit  of  the  holiday,  or 
memorize  such  choice  selections  as  they  may  find. 

The  following  stanza  from  a  fifth  grade  pupil  expresses 
the  real  boy: 

"Oh  good  old  Thanksgiving  Day! 

My,  how  I  wish  it  would  stay! 
Turkeys,  apples,  and  pumpkin  pie, 

I  am  always  sad  when  it  passes  by! 
I  wish  it  would  come  here 

Five  or  six  times  every  year." 

Lesson  2.     Remembering  the  Pilgrims 

Several  periods  will  be  needed  for  this  lesson. 

First,  have  a  Pilgrim  Story  Hour,  in  which  the  pupils 
may  tell  tales  they  have  read  of  the  Pilgrims. 

Second,  work  out  a  dramatization  of  "The  Christmas 
Candle,"  or  of  some  other  good  Pilgrim  story  as  sug- 
gested by  the  outline  given. 

While  this  work  is  proceeding,  the  study  periods  may 
be  given  to  art  and  handwork  for  the  designing  of  cos- 
tumes and  scenery  for  the  play,  or  to  library  reading  of 
stories  about  the  Pilgrims  and  Thanksgiving  time. 

Lesson  3.    The  Thanksgiving  Dinner 

In  this  study,  opportunity  is  given  for  the  following 
types  of  lessons:  (i)  Vocabulary  building;  (2)  Spelling 


r28 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

work  on  commonly  used  words;  (3)  Enunciation  prac- 
tice; (4)  Writing  of  little  language-geography  stories 
using  the  model  on  pages  39,  40,  and  41  (text)  as  a 
stimulus  and  guide. 

Lesson  4.  Creating  Thanksgiving  Plays 
In  this  lesson  there  is  opportunity  for  fun  as  well  as 
for  good  language  practice.  The  class  may  be  divided,  if 
large,  into  four  divisions,  and  each  group  may  be  given 
one  of  the  plays  suggested  to  work  out.  If  the  class  is 
small,  let  one  of  the  plays  be  chosen  and  developed. 

Lesson  5.     Writing  Invitations 

In  this  motivated  written  exercise,  both  types  of 
invitation  may  be  studied;  but  the  practice  should  be 
mainly  given  to  the  informal  type.  Various  occasions 
in  connection  with  school  work  call  for  the  informal 
invitation.  The  pupils  should  be  given  the  practice  of 
writing  these  invitations,  whenever  opportunity  arises; 
as  for  parent-teachers'  meetings  and  school  programs  of 
various  kinds. 

Let  the  invitations  be  kept  simple  in  style  and  form  as 
shown  in  the  text. 

Work  for  ease,  grace,  and  neatness. 

Lesson  6.     Words  to  Express  Appreciation 

Opportunity  is  here  given  for  a  much  needed  lesson 
in  cultural  expression  as  well  as  for  a  lesson  aimed  at 
supplanting  such  slang  expressions  as  "a  dandy  time," 
"fine  and  dandy,'7  "a  swell  dinner." 

Seat  Work.  Have  the  pupils  use  in  other  sentences 
the  words  given  in  Exercise  34. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


129 


Lesson  7.    Troublesome  Word  Forms 

In  this  exercise  special  attention  is  given  to  the  over- 
coming of  the  following  ten  most  troublesome  types  of 
speech : 

"Aint,"  "have  got,"  "You  (we,  they)  was,"  "He  give 
it,"  "Can  I  go?"  "He  come  yesterday,"  "them  apples," 
"It's  me  (him,  her,  us,  them),"  "Him  and  me  went,"  and 
"hadn't  ought." 

The  reviews  and  new  drills  on  these  forms  may  be 
increased  if  necessary.  Pupils  should  also  be  stimulated 
to  self-effort  in  overcoming  such  blunders.  During  the 
study  period  let  each  pupil  make  a  Correct-Usage 
Booklet  in  which  drill  sentences  of  his  own  gathering  and 
making  are  written  in  the  order  of  the  tables  already 
suggested  on  pages  69,  70.  He  may  include  in  this  book- 
let also  "spelling demons,"  and  "enunciation  exercises," 
in  which  the  forms  that  trouble  him  are  placed  for  his 
individual  help. 

For  illustration : 


130  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR— CHRISTMAS 
STORIES 

The  central  aim  of  this  work  is  to  promote,  through 
language  expression,  the  proper  observance  of  Christmas. 

In  preparation  for  the  study,  let  the  classroom  library 
be  enriched  by  adding  Christmas  books  and  magazines 
that  contain  helpful  materials.  Let  the  pupils  help  in 
gathering  pictures  and  other  decorations  for  the  room. 

In  carrying  out  the  study,  opportunity  is  offered  for : 

1.  Christmas   Story  Hours.     During   these,   the  stories 
given  in  the  text  and  other  good  ones,  may  be  retold  or  acted. 
The  choice  poems  and  stories  suggested  for  previous  grades 
may  also  be  re-enjoyed. 

2.  Creating   a   Christmas   Booklet.     This  may   contain 
original  stories  for  Christmas  time,  also  poems  by  the  pupils. 
It  should  be  illustrated  with  drawings  or  pictures.   Excellent 
motivation  for  this  work  will  be  found  in  having  the  pupils 
make  the  booklet  to  give  as  a  Christmas  present  to  some 
needy  little  boy  or  girl  they  know. 

3.  Correct-Usage   Studies.      These   exercises,   including 
paragraphing,    the   writing   of   conversations,   and   tongue 
training  on  trouble-makers,  should  be  connected  closely  with 
the  constructive  work  suggested  under  i  and  2. 

In  the  foregoing  program  there  is  work  enough  to  fill 
interestingly  the  time  between  Thanksgiving  and 
Christmas. 

The  following  poems,  produced  by  fifth  grade  pupils, 
suggest  the  spirit  with  which  the  study  may  be  worked 
out  when  the  class  is  properly  taught. 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  131 

KRIS  KRINGLE 

The  night  before  Christmas  I  hung  up  my  stocking, 

I  stayed  awake  in  bed,  and  suddenly  I  heard  a  knocking, 
The  next  thing  I  heard  was  some  one  talking. 

It  was  jolly  old  Kris  Kringle, 

Who  had  landed  on  the  roof  with  a  jingle. 
He  lifted  his  bag  and  gave  a  big  jump 

And  down  the  chimney  he  came  with  a  bump. 
I  heard  him  land  and  hopped  out  of  bed 

And  to  myself  I  said, 

"Has  he  brought  me  a  sled?" 

—C divert  Stevenson. 

SANTA  IS  CAUGHT 

Harry  and  Tommy  once  set  a  trap 
To  catch  Santa  Claus,  the  jolly  old  chap. 

"We'll  hide,"  they  said,  "behind  this  case; 
And  if  he  sees  us,  for  the  stairs  we'll  race." 

All  of  a  sudden  they  heard  a  noise 

Like  the  jingling  of  some  toys. 
They  looked  and  then  one  said  to  the  other, 

"It  is  only  father  and  mother." 

So  that  was  how  they  found  out 

There  is  no  Santa  roaming  about. 
Then  they  crept  back  to  their  snug  little  bed 

And  the  next  morning  each  got  a  new  sled. 

— Eugene  Middleton. 

These  poems,  with  others  of  like  spirit,  were  produced 
by  following  out  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  41.  Four 
main  steps  were  taken  to  get  these  results: 

1.  The  pupils  were  led  to  talk  freely  about  their  Christmas 
fun. 

2.  Opportunity  was  given  during  the  study  period  for  the 
pupils  to  follow  the  lead  of  the  suggestive  lines  in  Exercise  41, 
or  to  take  their  own  lead  in  producing  a  rhyme. 

3.  The  poems  of  the  class  were  read  during  the  succeeding 


132  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

recitation.  Suggestions  were  made  by  the  pupils  for  bettering 
the  poems  and  errors  in  form  were  corrected  by  the  teacher. 
4.   The  poems  were  then  rewritten. 

Two  recitations  and  two  study  periods  were  given  to 
the  exercise.  Every  pupil  produced  a  rhyme  of  some  sort 
and  many  were  as  clever  as  those  given. 

Blending  Constructive  and  Corrective  Work 

In  Exercises  42  and  43,  definite  suggestions  are  given 
showing  how  the  corrective  work  can  and  should  be 
connected  with  the  constructive  lessons.  The  wide-awake 
teacher  will  watch  constantly  to  discover  the  needs  of 
the  pupils  in  speech  and  in  written  forms  and  will  direct 
the  drills  accordingly. 

The  Habit-Fixing  Review  Drills  need  not,  however,  be 
so  directed.  Exercises,  such  as  those  suggested  on 
page  62  (text),  may  be  given  to  train  the  pupil  on  the 
Correct-Usage  Tables. 

A  new  table  is  taught  in  Exercises  44  and  45.  This 
lesson  on  Needless  Words  is  one  of  the  most  important 
in  language.  Let  the  lesson  be  fixed  by  repeated  drills  to 
help  the  pupils  to  overcome  the  "  John  he,"  "this  here," 
and  "have  got"  habits. 

Observe  that  the  meaning  and  use  of  the  paragraph  is 
constantly  reviewed  in  the  various  fifth  grade  studies. 
Teachers  need  not  teach  the  paragraph  formally,  but 
they  should  keep  the  idea  before  the  pupils,  and  help 
them  gradually  to  express  themselves  in  paragraph 
form. 

Keep  this  thought  foremost :  Thoughts  are  most  easily 
carried,  if  they  are  kept  in  packages.  Express  clearly  one 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 133 

thought  at  a  time,  by  building  clear  sentences.  Make 
one  point  at  a  time,  by  arranging  the  sentences  in 
paragraphs. 

The  directing  of  the  pupils,  attention  to  the  para- 
graphs in  the  well  constructed  stories  they  read  will  help 
to  cultivate  the  paragraph  habit.  Better  still  is  guiding 
them  to  build  well  unified  paragraphs  of  their  own. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— OUR  ANIMAL 
FRIENDS 

This  study  provides  practical  nature  study  through 
motivated  language  expression.  Carried  out  properly, 
it  will  bring  at  least  two  worth-while  results : 

1.  An  appreciation  of  our  animal  friends. 

2.  Good  practice  in  oral  and  in  written  language. 

Indirectly  the  study  will  teach  thrift  and  cultivate  a 
humane  spirit. 

To  prepare  for  the  study,  let  the  pupils  gather  the  best 
books,  magazine  sketches,  and  stories  of  animals  they 
can  get  for  the  class  library.  Such  volumes  as  the  follow- 
ing will  prove  very  helpful  here : 

"  Cat  Stories  "  and  "  Dog  Stories,"  retold  from  St.  Nicholas. 
"The  Call  of  the  Wild,"  Jack  London. 
"Black  Beauty,"  Anna  Sewell. 
"Beautiful  Joe,"  Marshall  Saunders. 

The  schoolroom  may  be  decorated  with  animal 
pictures.  Such  classics  as  "  Can't  You  Talk,"  "The 
Horse  Fair,"  and  others  in  w.hich  animals  are  well  por- 
trayed, will  prove  excellent  for  the  purpose. 


134  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Four  weeks  may  be  given  to  this  study,  as  follows : 

First  Week.   Telling  and  writing  animal  stories. 
Second  Week.   Reading  and  telling  stories  about  animals. 
Third  Week.   Practical  talks  on  the  care  of  animals. 
Fourth  Week.    Correct-usage  tables  and  drills. 

The  following  original  stories  about  animals  produced 
by  fifth  grade  pupils,  show  what  results  can  be  obtained 
when  this  study  is  carried  out  properly: 

TRICKSEY 

Tricksey  was  a  little  dog.  They  named  him  "Tricksey,"  because  he 
was  so  full  of  tricks.  I  liked  him  because  he  would  do  anything  his 
master  asked  him  to. 

When  he  would  say,  "Your  foot  is  awfully  sore"  and  would  wrap  it 
up  with  a  rag  "Tricksey"  would  limp  all  around  holding  up  his  foot. 
And  when  he  would  say,  "  Now  your  foot  is  better,"  he  would  get  up  and 
run  around  the  room  as  lively  as  ever.  — Alice  Bruneau. 

SNOWBALL 

Snowball,  is  the  name  of  our  Spitz  dog.  He  has  long  waving  hair, 
bright  blue  eyes,  and  a  long  tail  that  curls  up  over  his  back. 

He  is  a  bright  dog  and  knows  many  tricks.  One  of  his  tricks  is  to 
speak  for  his  food.  Every  time  we  go  to  feed  him  he  stands  up  and  barks. 
Another  of  his  tricks  is  to  play  dead.  When  we  say,  "  dead  dog."  He  will 
lie  down  and  play  dead.  And  when  we  say,  "live  dog,"  He  will  get  up 
and  run  around.  — Calvert  Stevenson. 

UNCLE'S  ENGLISH  TERRIER 

Tige  was  an  English  terrier  with  massive  body  and  muscles  of  iron. 
When  you  fed  old  Tige  no  other  dog  could  take  it  away  from  him, 
but  any  child  could  take  it  right  out  of  his  mouth.  He  would  only  lick 
their  hand.  He  would  never  come  home  from  the  coal  yard  with  uncle 
without  bringing  a  lump  of  coal  about  the  size  of  his  head.  On  the  way 
home  he  would  run  about  a  block  ahead  of  uncle.  Lay  the  lump  of  coal 
down  and  wait  till  uncle  caught  up  to  him.  Then  he  would  run  another 
block  and  stop  and  repeat  the  actions.  Uncle  taught  him  to  swim  after 
a  ball. 

One  day  a  cedar  post  came  floating  down  the  river.  Uncle  sent  Tige 
after  it.  Tige  willing  jump  into  the  river  and  swam  towards  the  log. 
Upon  reaching  it  he  found  it  three  times  his  one  size  he  gripped  it  in  his 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  135 

massive  jaws  and  swam  towards  shore.  Upon  reaching  the  shore  he 
found  it  hard  to  pull  the  log  out  of  the  river.  But  Tige  was  always  happy 
when  he  a  hard  task  to  do.  After  about  fifteen  minutes  of  hard  work  he 
successfully  dragged  it  to  Uncle's  feet.  Then  he  look  happily  into  his 
eyes  as  if  to  say  "Don't  you  think  I  did  well?" 

— Sillard  Durrani. 

OLD  SALLY 

I  am  a  big  coal  black  horse.  They  always  called  me  Sally.  I  have  a 
star  in  the  middle  of  my  forehead. 

I  roamed  the  desert,  I  had  all  the  freedom  any  horse  could  wish.  I 
was  the  leader  of  a  large  band  of  wild  horses. 

Many  people  tried  to  catch  me.  One  day  some  Indians  built  a  corral 
and  rounded  us  up  so  that  we  couldn't  get  away.  They  began  to  come 
closer  and  closer  until  at  last  they  forced  us  into  the  corral.  Then  they 
starved  us  for  six  days.  By  that  time  we  were  so  weak  we  couldn't  kick 
or  bite  them.  Then  they  led  us  to  town  and  sold  us  to  a  big  cattle 
company.  I  have  a  warm  stable  and  plenty  to  eat,  but  I  still  yearn  tor 
my  desert  home  and  freedom. 

— Eugene  Middleton. 

BLONDY 

Blondy  is  a  beagle  hound.  He  is  white  with  light  brown  spots.  His 
master  has  owned  him  since  he  was  two  weeks  old.  At  night  he  sleeps  by 
the  door  and  waits  for  him  to  come  out  in  the  morning.  He  pulls  his 
master  around  on  his  sled  in  the  winter.  He  loves  his  master  and  will 
not  let  anybody  touch  him.  He  also  hates  cats.  When  ever  he  sees  one 
he  will  chase  it.  One  day  he  saw  a  big  maltese.  He  started  after  it,  but 
soon  stopped.  For  the  cat  turned  around  and  scratched  his  nose.  He 
never  chases  cats  any  more.  That  one  has  taught  him  a  lesson. 

—Witt  Jex. 

DAD 

Dad  was  a  Scotch  collie  dog.  He  was  light  brown  with  spots  of  black 
and  white  here  and  there.  He  did  many  tricks  that  were  fun  to  watch. 
We  would  throw  sticks  for  him  to  bring  back.  He  would  bring  them 
back  in  his  mouth  sit  upon  his  hind  feet,  and  put  his  paw  up  for  us  to 
shake  hands  with  him.  If  he  could  not  find  the  stick  he  would  find 
another.  When  my  brother  would  go  on  his  pony  Dad  would  jump  on 
the  pony's  back  and  have  a  ride  too.  When  we  feed  him  meat,  he  sits 
upon  his  hind  feet.  —Alice  Sheets. 

Essentially  the  same  steps  as  those  suggested  under 
General  Study  Four,  page  32,  were  taken  to  get  the 


136 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


foregoing  compositions.  Every  pupil  had  some  worth- 
while animal  story  to  tell. 

The  work  of  the  class  made  a  very  interesting  little 
book  of  animal  stories. 

Correct-Usage  Tables.  During  the  fourth  week  the 
time  may  well  be  spent  teaching  the  tables  found  in 
Exercises  52,  53,  and  54.  Review  the  Tables  i,  2,  3,  4,  5, 
here  also.  (See  pages  69,  70.) 

The  effort  should  be  directed  towards  cultivating  the 
spirit  of  self-correction  in  the  pupil.  Lead  him  to  build 
up  his  own  correction  tables  in  his  Correct-Usage  Book. 

Into  this  book  should  be  written  correctly:  (i)  All 
misspelled  words  found  in  his  compositions  and  note- 
books; (2)  The  grammatical  forms  that  give  him  most 
trouble;  (3)  The  words  that  give  him  trouble  to  enunciate 
and  pronounce  correctly;  (4)  Words  to  add  to  his  vocabu- 
lary. 


GENERAL  STUDY  SIX— BRAVE  BOYS 
AND   GIRLS 

The  central  aim  of  this  study  is  to  make  boys  and  girls 
better  Americans.  To  this  end  the  lessons  lead  pupils  to 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  137 

discuss  vital  problems  of  citizenship  that  come  naturally 
into  their  daily  lives.  Language  here  is  brought  into  an 
effective  correlation  with  civics  and  history. 

The  program,  planned  to  cover  three  weeks  of  work 
during  February,  is  given  in  three  main  parts : 

1.  Stories,  oral  and  written,  about  brave  boys  and  girls. 

2.  Letters  of  friendship,  with  reviews  on  letter  forms. 
•  3.    Hero  stories  from  the  history  of  our  country. 

In  preparing  for  this  work,  the  pupils,  guided  by  the 
teacher,  should  enrich  the  classroom  library  with  helpful 
books  and  magazines  that  contain  the  stories  suggested 
and  others;  and  collect  suitable  pictures  and  decorations 
that  give  the  room  the  right  atmosphere  for  the  study. 

First  Week 

The  lessons  for  this  week  should  be  taken  from 
Exercises  55  to  59,  the  central  object  being  to  give  the 
pupils  opportunity  to  tell  and  to  write  choice  stories 
about  young  heroes  and  heroines,  and  to  give  experiences 
showing  everyday  heroism. 

"A  Book  of  Golden  Deeds,"  to  which  each  pupil 
contributes  a  choice  story,  should  be  created  for  the 
classroom  library.  The  program  for  the  week  in  detail 
may  be  as  follows : 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Reading  and  talking  about  Reading    other    little    hero 

"Partners."  tales. 

A  story  hour  on  young  heroes.  Reading  exercises  and  plan- 
Telling  about  everyday  ning  a  little  talk  on  some 

heroism.  topic  it  suggests. 

Reading  original  stories.  Writing  a  hero  story. 


138  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Study  of  " Somebody's  Completing  "Book  of  Gold- 

Mother."  en  Deeds." 

Memorizing  the  poem. 
Second  Week 

These  lessons  deal  directly  with  written  forms.  A 
review  is  given  first  on  contractions  and  then  on  quota- 
tions. Following  this  is  a  real  letter  exercise  motivated 
through  St.  Valentine's  Day. 

The  reviews  on  contractions  and  quotations  may 
readily  be  expanded  into  work  enough  to  fill  three 
recitations  and  study  periods.  For  the  letter  writing,  two 
recitations  and  study  periods  will  be  needed. 

Let  the  first  day  be  given  to  writing  the  letters  with 
pencil.  The  pupils  may  give  them  a  chatty  spirit  by 
using  contractions  freely;  as, 

Dear  Tom, 

Don't  you  wish  you  were  with  me?  I  can't  tell  you  how  much  fun 
I'm  having  here  in  New  York. 

We  took  a  trip  through  Bronx  Park  yesterday.  'Twas  ever  so 
interesting  to  see  all  the  animals.  There  were  buffaloes,  deer,  beaver, 
elephants,  lions  and  tigers.  And  oh,  the  monkeys!  They're  the  funniest 
of  all. 

The  second  day  may  be  given  to  writing  the  correct 
letters  in  ink  and  addressing  them  for  mailing. 

Make  these  letter-writing  lessons  an  opportunity  for 
natural  self-expression.  The  pupils  should  be  led  to  say 
the  things  they  wish  to  their  friends  in  a  free  and  sponta- 
neous spirit.  Review  drills  on  letter  forms  may  be  given 
here,  if  necessary. 

Third  Week 

The  third  week's  work  may  be  given  to  carrying  out 
the  following  program : 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 


139 


For  the  Recitation 

Reading  and  talking  about 
the  story  of  Washington. 

Reading  and  talking  about 
Lincoln. 

Planning  to  play  one  of  the 
stories. 

Presenting  the  play. 

Review  drills  in  tongue  train- 
ing. 


For  Seat  Work 

Studying  story  of  Lincoln. 

Reading  other  hero  stories 
suggested. 

Making  costumes  and  scen- 
ery. 

Spelling  studies  connected 
with  Enunciation  Exer- 
cises. 


The  enunciation  exercises  found  in  Exercises  64  and  65 
give  drills  on  some  of  the  worst  of  the  type  sounds  that 
trouble  the  tongue. 

Work  here  to  overcome:  (i)  Jaw  laziness;  (2)  tongue 
tightness;  (3)  faulty  resonance ;  (4)  lip  laziness;  (5)  the 
hurry  habits. 

Spelling  may  be  correlated  here  with  the  exercises, 
since  many  words  are  misspelled  because  of  careless  and 
improper  enunciation.  Add  other  lists  of  trouble-makers 
to  the  Correct-Usage  Book.  For  example, 


140  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Make  a  study  of  the  paragraph  structure  in  the  story 
"Partners." 

Have  the  pupils  practice  writing  conversation  in  their 
stories;  as, 

We  were  out  on  the  playground  when  I  heard  someone 
scream. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  I  asked. 
"Someone  seems  to  be  hurt,"  said  Mary. 
We  dashed  over  to  the  crowd. 

Complete  the  story. 

Sometimes  a  picture  suggesting  a  good  story  may  be 
used  for  the  making  of  imaginary  conversation.  Such 
pictures  may  be  found  in  "Kodak  shots,"  on  magazine 
covers,  and  elsewhere. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN— SPRING  WORK 

This  practical  language  study  is  adaptable  both  to 
the  country  and  to  the  city.  Children  should  be  trained 
to  take  a  willing  part  in  keeping  their  community  clean 
and  in  making  it  beautiful. 

It  is  a  good  thing  also  for  every  pupil  to  learn  how  to 
"dig  a  dollar  out  of  the  soil."  Each  should  be  led  to 
appreciate  and  to  cultivate  mother  earth.  This  series  of 
lessons  rightly  taught  will  afford  two  weeks  or  more  of 
profitable  work.  It  will  be  helpful  here  to  have  pupils 
bring  to  school  at  this  time  seed  catalogs,  pictures  of 
various  kinds  of  poultry,  farm  bulletins,  and  magazines. 
These  may  be  used  to  advantage  in  the  succeeding 
lessons. 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 141 

For  each  lesson  following,  two  or  more  recitation  and 
study  periods  should  be  given. 

Lesson  i.    Talks  About  Spring  Duties 
Follow  the  lead  of  the  topics  or  use  other  suggestions 

like  them  to  get  the  pupils  to  talk  about  making  their 

community,  their  classrooms,  and  their  homes  clean  and 

beautiful. 

Seat  Work.    Each  pupil  may  work  out  an  artistic 

poster  to  stimulate  interest  in  the  work. 


Lesson  2.     Growing  Gardens 

This  lesson  should  lead  to  the  actual  growing  of 
gardens  in  connection  with  the  school,  or  at  home. 
Pupils  in  every  school  can  find  a  chance  to  do  this 
interesting  work.  Even  in  the  largest,  most  crowded 
cities  there  are  vacant  spots  that  may  be  cultivated  or 
windows  and  roofs  on  which  garden  boxes  can  be  set. 
Encourage  the  garden-growing  habit. 

Lesson  3.     Making  a  Garden 

The  discussion  of  the  garden  plan  will  fill  the  recita- 
tion period  profitably. 


142 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS ^^ 

Lesson  4.     Raising  Chickens 

This  discussion  may  be  broadened  easily  to  include 
the  raising  of  pigeons,  rabbits,  guinea  pigs,  and  other 
animals  and  birds. 

Seat  Work.  Have  another  spelling  study  on  Poultry 
and  Farm  Animals  that  pupils  may  learn  these  needed 
names. 

Lessons  5,  6,  7.     Debates 

This  study  also  may  be  broadened.  An  interesting 
little  debate  should  result  from  .  discussing  the  live 
topics  suggested. 

Other  topics  that  may  stimulate  a  lively  interest  and 
profitable  discussion  for  several-  lessons  are  the  following : 

1.  Pets,  are  they  worth  keeping? 

2.  What  might  city  boys  and  girls  do  in  a  productive  way 
to  help  supply  food  for  their  homes? 

3.  How  will  raising  a  garden  help  in  buying  fruits  and 
vegetables? 

4.  Give  a  list  of  practical  advice  about  buying  things  at 
the  grocery.   For  example: 

(a)  Overripe  fruit  causes  illness;  watch  that  you  buy  no 

such  fruit. 

(b)  Choose  vegetables  that  have  no  blight  on  them. 

5.  Why  does  it  pay  from  the  viewpoint  of  health  to  have  a 
garden? 

Seat  Work.  The  pupils  may  draw  a  plan  of  a  chicken 
coop,  or  bird  house,  or  kennel,  or  rabbit  hutch.  Or  they 
may  make  a  picture  collection  of  poultry,  or  of  garden 
products. 


FIFTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 143 

Lessons  8,  9,  10.     Business  Letters 

Following  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  69,  let  the  pupils 
make  this  a  real  bit  of  business  correspondence  if  possible. 
If  not,  divide  the  class  into  buyers  and  dealers  and  carry 
on  the  correspondence.  Several  lessons  may  well  be 
given  to  this  business-letter  practice.  The  work  can 
readily  be  correlated  with  arithmetic  to  advantage.  Let 
the  pupils  be  paired,  one  making  out  orders  from 
catalogs,  which  can  be  easily  secured,  the  other  making 
out  an  invoice  of  the  goods. 

Practice  also  in  the  writing  of  dates,  and  the  addresses 
of  friends  and  business  firms. 


GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT— SPRINGTIME  FUN 

"A  little  nonsense  now  and  then 
Is  relished  by  the  best  of  men." 

Children  need  fun,  but  their  fun  should  be  wholesome. 
Their  sense  of  humor  should  be  cultivated.  Here  is  an 
excellent  opportunity  to  direct  the  spirit  of  "All  Fools' 
Time"  to  pleasurable  education. 

The  pupils  should  help  prepare  for  the  fun  by  collect- 
ing the  books  and  stories  suggested,  and  by  gathering 
beforehand  good  clean  jokes,  cartoons,  and  other  fun- 
making  materials.  The  schoolroom  may  be  decorated 
with  pictures  and  drawings  suitable  for  the  study. 

The  following  is  a  suggestive  program  planned  to  fill 
about  three  weeks. 


144 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


First  Week 


For  the  Recitation 

Telling  funny  stories. 
Writing  funny  stories. 
Practice  in  writing  conversa- 
tion. 

Creating  nonsense  rhymes. 
Completing  nonsense  rhymes. 


For  Seat  Work 
Let  pupils  plan  each  to  make 
a  sunshine  book.  In  it 
may  be  pasted  choice  car- 
toons, clean  funny  stories, 
good  riddles,  and  other 
fun-making  materials. 
This  will  require  several 
study  periods. 


Second  Week 


For  the  Recitation 
Oral   reading   of   humorous 

stories. 

Reading  and  reciting  poems. 
Playing  funny  stories. 
Planning  a  program. 
Presenting  the  program. 


For  Seat  Work 

Complete  the  sunshine  book. 

Read  humorous  stories. 

Learn  a  choice  funny  rhyme. 

Make  sentences  using  cor- 
rectly the  words  in  black- 
face type  in  Exercise  74. 

Find  or  make  other  sentences 
using  correctly  the  forms 
given  in  Exercise  75. 


Third  Week 

For  a  third  week  of  work,  if  time  permits,  drill  on  the 
correct-usage  tables  given  in  Exercise  75  and  review 
practice  in  using  quotation  and  other  marks. 

Quotations  are  most  frequently  employed  in  story 
telling.  The  use  of  conversation  enlivens  a  story  and 
keeps  it  clear.  In  the  telling  of  most  jokes,  conversation 
seems  absolutely  necessary.  To  study  quotation  marks 
with  these  thoughts  in  view,  will  make  a  well  motivated 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  145 

lesson.  Let  the  pupils  collect  good  jokes,  and  study  the 
form  in  which  they  are  told.  Let  them  also  write  such 
jokes  to  put  in  their  Sunshine  Books. 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE— PART  I 
BIRD  LIFE 

This  language-nature  study  has  an  impelling  interest 
for  most  pupils.  It  offers  an  excellent  chance  for  creative 
language  work  in  form  of  bird  stories,  bird  letters,  bird 
poems,  and  bird  plays.  Through  all  this  work  the 
observation  of  bird  ways  and  the  spirit  of  protecting  our 
bird  friends  may  be  cultivated. 

The  program  provided  will  profitably  fill  three  weeks. 

In  preparation  for  the  study  pictures  of  birds,  deserted 
nests,  and  books  containing  bird  stories  and  bird  poems 
should  be  gathered  for  the  classroom.  With  these  in 
hand  the  following  plan  may  be  carried  out  with  good 
results.  Each  pupil  should  produce  an  excellent  Bird 
Book  during  this  study. 

First  Week 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Study  of  "Birds  of  Killing-      Reading  about  birds. 

worth."  Spelling  lesson  on  bird 

Talks  about  worth  of  birds.  names. 

The  story  of  the  sea  gulls.  Writing  paragraph  telling 
Reading  paragraphs.  "  How  Birds  Work  for  Us. " 

Study  of  Exercise  79. 

Work  this  out  from  original  ob- 
servation. After  correction,  have 
it  put  into  finished  form  for  the 
booklet. 


i46  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Second  Week 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Talking  about  bird  enemies.       Writing    paragraphs    about 
Reading  and  talking  about          bird  protectors. 

bird  protectors.  Beginning  bird  diary. 

Talking  about  bird  travels.        Writing  a  bird  letter. 
Reading  bird  letters.  Completing  bird  letters  for 

Describing  different  birds.  books. 

Making    paragraph-descrip- 
tions of  birds. 

Third  Week 
For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Reading  descriptions.  Finding  picturesque  bird 

Talking  of  spirit  of  birds.  words. 

Planning  bird-day  program.       Writing  verses  about  birds. 
Study  of  bird  poems.  Writing  invitations. 

Presenting  the  bird-day  pro-      Memorizing  a  choice  poem. 

gram. 

The  bird-day  program  as  suggested  in  Exercise  87, 
should  include  both  original  and  other  work.  Every 
member  of  the  class  should  be  given  some  part  to  play. 
A  rich  entertainment  for  the  pupils  and  patrons  of  the 
school  will  result  if  this  plan  is  properly  carried  out. 

Specimen  letters  and  sketches  produced  by  fifth  grade 
pupils  during  this  study,  are  here  given  by  way  of  help- 
ful suggestion. 

Birdville,  Appleblossom, 

March  25,  1920. 
Dear  Mr.  Robin: 

How  do  you  like  your  new  wife?  I  like  mine  fine.  She  is  such  a  sweet 
little  thing.  You  can't  guess  how  proud  of  her  I  am.  She  is  especially 
noted  for  fighting. 

Yesterday  I  told  her  that  I  wished  she  would  go  and  get  some  of  the 
food  and  let  me  sit  on  the  nest  awhile.  I  said  I  didn't  see  why  she  was  so 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  147 

lazy.   And  she  did  get  off  the  nest,  but  I  didn't  want  to  get  on  it.   Her 
eyes  were  just  like  fire. 

She  said,  "I'll  teach  you  to  call  me  lazy!  I'll  show  you  how  to  speak 
to  me!" 

You  bet  I  didn't  wait  to  hear  her  say  it  over.  Away  I  went  with  her 
after  me.  I  flew  over  Farmer  Brown's  house  and  into  the  garden.  She 
was  nearing  me.  I  flew  around  in  a  circle  but  she  was  watching  for  it 
and  cut  a  corner  and  caught  me.  I  tell  you  it  wasn't  very  pleasant  then. 
I  never  imagined  she  had  such  a  sharp  beak  before.  I  just  got  up  a  while 
ago.  I  was  cut  all  over  where  she  had  pecked  me.  Well  I  guess  I  will  ck>se 
now  and  go  back  to  bed.  I  advise  you  to  be  careful  what  you  say  to 
your  wife. 

Yours  truly, 

BLUEBIRD. 

Sherwood  Forest,  Hollow  Tree, 

March  25,  1920. 
Dear  Mrs.  Wood  Pecker: 

I  am  having  a  fine  feast.    This  hollow  tree  is  full  of  worms.    Why 
don't  you  come  over  here?  Are  you  having  a  good  breakfast? 
Well  good  bye, 

Yours  truly, 

WOOD  PECKER. 

THE  BIRDS'  CHRISTMAS 

While  I  was  at  my  grandmothers  one  year  for  Christmas  the  snow 
was  one  or  two  feet  deep.  After  our  Happy  Christmas  was  over  we  put 
the  tree  out  in  the  yard. 

Soon  a  lot  of  little  birds  were  out  in  the  yard  trying  to  find  something 
to  eat. 

Grandmother  said  I  could  give  the  birds  a  Christmas  party  if  I 
wanted  to.  So  I  got  a  lot  of  little  baskets  that  had  all  sorts  of  little 
things  to  eat  in  them.  Then  I  scattered  crumbs  of  cake  and  bread 
among  the  branches  and  all  around  the  yard.  I  then  went  in  and  looked 
out  of  the  window. 

It  was  a  pretty  sight  to  see  so  many  little  birds  eating  their  Christmas 
dinner.  After  they  were  finished  they  seemed  to  want  to  thank  me  for 
what  I  had  done  so  they  sat  on  the  window  sill  and  sang  a  very  pretty 
song.  So  every  time  after  this  I  have  made  a  Christmas  for  the  birds. 

Bonners  Ferry,  Idaho, 

March  25,  1920. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Robin: 

As  I  was  in  a  garden  where  some  strawberries  were  planted,  I  saw  a 
little  girl.  She  was  coming  to  pick  some  strawberries  and  she? must 


148  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

have  known  that  I  was  wanting  to  get  some  string  and  straw  to  make, 
my  nest.  She  stood  still.  Soon  a  thought  came  to  her  mind.  She  went  to 
the  house.  When  she  came  back  she  had  a  handful  of  strings  and  straws 
and  some  little  fine  sticks  tor  me  to  make  my  nest. 

After  she  had  gone,  I  went  there  and  got  those  things  and  made  my 
nest. 

Sincerely, 

MRS.  ROBIN. 

Observe  that  not  only  are  these  letters  spontaneous 
and  natural,  but  the  sentences  and  paragraphs  are 
generally  well  built. 

These  pupils  were  first  given  an  encouraging  oppor- 
tunity to  express  themselves  freely;  and  helped  the  while 
to  put  their  thoughts  into  right  forms. 

In  working  out  letters  and  other  compositions  on 
birds,  special  attention  should  be  given  to  sentence  and 
paragraph  structure.  Train  the  pupils  to  say  one  thing 
at  a  time,  to  make  one  point  at  a  time. 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE— PART  II— REVIEW 

About  a  month  or  six  weeks  before  the  close  of  school, 
the  pupils  should  be  given  a  general  review  of  the 
various  lessons  in  correct  usage,  enunciation,  punctua- 
tion, paragraphing,  letter  forms,  and  verse  writing. 

Following  the  guidance  of  the  exercises  given  in 
Exercises  88  to  92,  the  teacher  may  plan  the  review 
work  according  to  the  needs  of  the  class. 

To  add  zest  to  the  work,  make  this  a  time  to  complete 
the  correct-usage  books  already  suggested.  These  books 
may  now  be  organized  more  systematically.  For 
example,  in  dealing  with  the  correct-usage  tables,  let 
each  pupil  study  each  table  and  find  in  it  the  forms  that 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


149 


give  him  most  trouble.  His  notebooks,  his  compositions, 
and  his  daily  speech  will  reflect  these  mistakes. 

Let  each  pupil  arrange  the  tables  studied  thus  far,  in 
order  in  the  book,  placing  on  opposite  page  trouble- 
makers for  his  own  guidance.  For  example: 


The  same  orderly  arrangement  of  the  Enunciation 
Exercises,  containing  drills,  as  suggested,  to  overcome 
"jaw  laziness,"  to  cultivate  "right  resonance,"  to 
"train  the  tongue,"  to  overcome  "lip  laziness,"  and  to 
check  the  "hurry  habit,"  should  also  be  made. 

Here,  again,  let  the  pupil  make  an  individual  study  of 
himself,  with  the  help  of  his  classmates,  to  discover  the 
forms  which  give  him  most  trouble  These  most  trouble- 
some forms  may  be  written  on  the  page  opposite  the 
general  table  thus: 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


Punctuation  Practice  may  likewise  be  made  an 
individual  matter.  Pupils  here  should  make  a  careful 
study  of  their  own  corrected  compositions  and  their 
notebooks  to  discover  the  mistakes  they  most  commonly 
make.  In  the  Correct-Usage  Book,  on  one  page,  the  rule 
may  be  written,  with  illustrations;  on  the  opposite  page 
sentences  taken  from  the  pupil's  own  work  may  be 
written  and  punctuated  correctly.  For  example: 


In  reviewing  paragraph  structure  the  pupils  should  be 
given  practice  in  writing  on  topics  close  to  their  experi- 
ences. For  example:  Make  two  paragraphs  about  some 
bird.  Write  a  letter  of  two  or  three  paragraphs. 

Practice  on  letter  forms,  including  drills  on  writing 
dates  and  addresses,  also  may  be  made  real.  A  spelling 
review  on  the  names  of  the  months  and  the  days  of  the 
week  should  also  be  given. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN— SPRING  SPORTS 

Clean  fun  and  good  health,  with  live  language  practice, 
should  result  from  this  study. 


FIFTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


The  exercises  provided  round  out  the  year  with 
interesting  lessons  that  look  forward  into  the  vacation 
time.  They  may  be  worked  out  in  three  weeks. 

Make  the  most  of  the  following  themes  in  both  oral 
and  written  work: 

1.  Describing  outdoor  games.     3.    Cleanliness  and  health. 

2.  Playmates  worth  while.         4.   A  clean  tongue. 

Pupils  should  be  led  to  discuss  freely  the  vital  sugges- 
tions and  topics  given  in  Exercises  94,  95,  and  96. 

The  vocabulary  work  in  Exercise  97  may  be  enriched 
by  a  study  of  well  written  descriptions  of  games.  The 
pupils  here  may  be  led  to  find  effective,  clean  expressions 
in  newspapers  and  in  magazines. 

The  tongue-training  table  given  in  Exercise  98  is 
aimed  directly  at  overcoming  the  " hurry  habit,"  one  of 
the  worst  of  our  American  language  faults.  Let  emphatic 
attention  be  given  to  this  work  of  training  the  tongues 
of  pupils  to  "speak  the  speech  trippingly,"  and  dis- 
tinctly, not  to  " mouth  it,"  nor  to  run  it  together  so 
rapidly  that  people  cannot  understand  the  speech. 

Add  to  the  Correct-Usage  Book  some  reminders 
against  the  "hurry  habit."  For  example: 


152  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

If  time  remains  the  pupils  may  be  led  to  share  their 
past  vacation  experiences  or  their  anticipations  for  the 
summer. 

Pupils  should  leave  the  fifth  grade  with  an  increased 
love  for  language  work.  This  result  will  come  naturally 
from  giving  them,  as  the  text  constantly  suggests,  an 
inviting  opportunity  to  express  themselves,  not  someone 
else.  This  sharing  of  experiences  and  real  fun  will  bring 
rich  pleasure. 

Another  result  from  the  work  should  be  surer  habits 
of  correct  speech.  Their  enunciation  ought  to  be  clearer, 
their  sentences  free  of  the  more  obnoxious  errors,  and 
they  should  be  able  to  build  simple  sentences  clearly 
and  to  construct  simple  paragraphs  with  some  skill. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — SECOND  BOOK,  PART 

In  the  language  work  of  the  sixth  grade,  the  following 
objectives  are  kept  clearly  in  view : 

1.  Oral  and  written  expression  on  vital  subjects  is  con- 
tinued with  greater  emphasis  on  organization  and  accuracy  of 
iorm  in  composition. 

2.  The  "Twelve  Correct-Usage  Tables"  are  completed 
and  thoroughly  reviewed. 

3.  Reinforcing    drills    on    the   type   trouble-makers   in 
enunciation  are  given. 

4.  Reviews  in  letter  writing,  paragraphing,  outlining  sim- 
ple compositions,  and  in  the  uses  of  the  common  marks 
of  punctuation,  are  provided. 

5.  A  systematic  study  is  made  of  the  beginnings  of 
grammar,  including  kinds  of  sentences  according  to  use, 
subject  and  predicate,  the  parts  of  speech,  the  spelling  and 
use  of  the  simpler  number  and  case  forms,  and  a  study  of  the 
rules  underlying  the  correct-usage  tables. 

6.  Vocabulary-building    exercises  connected    with    the 
study  of  various  parts  of  speech  are  also  given. 

GENERAL  OUTLINE 

The  work  for  this  grade  is  presented  in  ten  main 
divisions  as  follows: 
I.    Expression  Studies      H.    Skill-Cultivating  Exercises 

i.    Summer  Sports 

Talks  about  vacation.  Helps  in  story  telling. 

Vacation  letter  writing.  Overcoming  language  faults. 

*Also  Advanced  Book,  Part  One. 

153 


154 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Stories  of  summer  days.  Studying  action  words. 

Water  scenes  and  poems.  Correct-usage  drills. 

2.  Fairs  and  Festivals 

Talks  about  fairs.  Studying  words  that  de- 

Writing  about  prize  winners.          scribe. 
Business  letter  writing.  Lessons  on  nouns. 

Descriptions  of  shows.  Action  words  and  numbers. 

Correct-usage  drills. 

3.  Stories  of  Industry 

Talks   about  how   common  Study  of  explanatory  para- 
things  are  produced.  graphs. 

Writing  letters  about  indus-  Making  clear  sentences, 

tries.  Subjects  and  predicates. 

4.  Entertainments 

Telling  about  entertainments.     Exercises  in  enunciation. 
Creating  original  plays.  Punctuation  practice. 

5.  Life  in  the  City 

Talks  on  city  life.  Study  of  verbs. 

Experiences  in  the  city.  Study  of  adjectives. 

Young  citizen  talks.  Study  of  adverbs. 

Writing  news  items.  Correct-usage  drills. 

6.    Stories  of  Our  Country 

Fireside  stories.  Learning  about  pronouns. 

American  hero  tales.  Forms  of  the  pronoun. 

Historical  poem  studies.  Drills  on  troublesome  forms. 

7.    Schooldays  and  Schoolmates 

Talking  about  school.  Review  exercises  on  how  to 

Writing  schoolday  stories.  'tell  stories. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  155 

8.    Wild  Animal  Life 

Talks  about  animals.  Review  of  parts  of  speech. 

Writing  animal  story  book.         Review  of  subjects  and 
Retelling  animal  stories.  predicates. 

Creating  animal  tales.  Study  of  prepositions. 

Correct-usage  drills. 

9.    Orchard  and  Wildwood 

Talks  about  trees.  Vocabulary-building  review. 

Writing  about  trees.  Punctuation  and  letter 

Creating  a  tree  play.  forms. 

Enunciation  exercises. 

10.     The  Beginnings  of  Grammar 

The  essentials  of  elementary  grammar  are  here  given 
in  condensed,  practical  form.  The  summary  serves  both 
as  a  review  of  the  lessons  previously  given  and  as  a 
foundation  for  the  work  to  follow. 

In  the  "Type  Exercises  for  Drill,"  Exercise  94,  are  the 
various  forms  included  in  the  "  Twelve  Correct-Usage 
Tables." 

The  composition  studies  given  for  this  grade  may  well 
be  correlated  with  history,  geography,  industrial,  social, 
health  and  nature  studies,  and  with  literature. 

The  plan  is  made  to  fill  a  regular  school  year.  Where 
less  time  must  be  given  to  the  work,  as  in  ungraded 
schools,  the  following  exercises  may  be  omitted:  13,  38, 
39,  42,  53,  54,  63,  68,  78,  79,  and  80. 

Minimum  Essentials  Demanded  of  Sixth  Graders 

The  pupil  should  be  considered  ready  for  promotion 
from  the  sixth  grade  when  he  can: 


156  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

1.  Tell  his  experiences  with  a  fair  degree  of  accuracy. 

2.  Write  rather  clearly  a  friendly  or  a  business  letter. 

3.  Organize  a  written  composition  of  two  or  three  para- 
graphs on  some  vital  subject  close  to  his  life. 

4.  Apply  with  sureness  the  various  rules  in  punctuation, 
composition  and   grammar,  given  in   Exercises   83    to   94 
inclusive. 

These  desired  results  may  best  be  obtained  by  follow- 
ing the  plan  as  outlined. 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE— SUMMER  SPORTS 

The  central  aim  of  this  project  is  to  afford  the  pupils 
an  inviting  opportunity  to  share  their  worth-while 
vacation  experiences. 

Several  good  results  will  come  from  such  expression 
work. 

1.  It  gives  the  teacher  at  the  opening  of  school  a  chance 
to  get  better  acquainted  with  the  real  lives  of  the  pupils. 

2.  It  offers  excellent  practice  in  speaking  and  in  writing 
on  a  vital  subject. 

3.  It  makes  a  good  basis  for  lessons  in  letter  writing, 
story  telling,  and  verse  making. 

Three  weeks,  at  least,  may  well  be  filled  with  carrying 
out  the  lessons  provided. 

First  Week 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Exchanging  vacation  experi-      Study   of   "Barefoot   Boy" 

ences.  selection. 

Planning  vacation  letters.  Writing  real  letters. 

Study  Whittier's  story.  Writing  a  summer  story  or 

stories. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  157 

Two  more  recitations  with  two  study  periods  may 
also  be  given  here  to  oral  and  written  work  necessary  to' 
complete  the  stories  brought  out  by  Exercise  4.  It  will 
be  well  to  have  the  pupils  bring  to  class  their  kodak 
pictures  and  the  specimens  they  may  have  gathered  for 
use  in  their  talks  and  stories. 

Second  Week 

Using  Exercises  5  to  10  inclusive,  let  this  week  be 
given  to  the  little  lessons  on  "How  to  Tell  a  Story."  Use 
pictures  from  the  magazines  or  other  stories  of  summer- 
time to  enliven  the  work.  The  pupil's  own  written  and 
oral  work  should  also  be  used  to  vitalize  the  various 
exercises. 

Special  emphasis  should  be  given  to  overcoming  the 
"and"  habit  and  to  eliminating  needless  words  in  such 
expressions  as  "have  got,"  "don't  hardly,"  "John  he," 
and  "this  here." 

The  following  sentences  taken  from  sixth  grade  papers 
are  illustrative  of  the  prevalent  "and"  habit. 

"The  man  on  the  motorcycle  put  his  brake  on  and  slid 
five  to  ten  feet  and  hit  the  car." 

"They  ran  toward  a  very  steep  bank  and  tipped  the 
wagon  over  and  broke  Mrs.  Proctor's  jaw  and  the  little  boy's 
collar  bone." 

"  One  day  we  were  playing  ball  and  a  car  come  along  the 
road  pretty  fast  and  ran  over  the  boy  and  it  cost  a  lot  of 
money  to  get  well." 

From  almost  any  set  of  papers  or  notebooks  scores  of 
"and"  filled  sentences  may  be  copied.  Such  sentences 


158 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

offer   excellent   materials   for   constructive    lessons   in 
sentence  building. 

Have  such  sentences  copied  on  the  board.  Let  the 
pupils  reconstruct  them  so  that  they  move  smoothly. 
For  illustration: 

"They  went  up  stairs  and  shut  off  the  electricity  and  then 
called  the  fire  department. " 

They  went  up  stairs,  shut  off  the  electricity,  and  called 
the  fire  department. 

Or:  Hurrying  up  stairs,  they  shut  off  the  electricity  and 
called  the  fire  department. 

Third  Week 

The  first  lesson  here  offered  is  a  review  of  "Conversa- 
tion in  Stories."  Increase  the  drill  sentences  if  necessary 
to  fix  the  habit  of  using  quotation  marks  correctly. 

The  second  lesson  is  a  study  of  "  Action  Words."  In 
this  lesson  the  beginning  of  a  vitalized  study  of  verbs  is 
found.  The  name  verb  may  or  may  not  be  given  at  this 
time.  It  will  be  introduced  later.  Let  the  emphasis  be 
thrown  on  building  the  vocabulary  by  finding  choice 
action  words.  Make  the  work  both  a  study  of  verbs  and 
a  live  vocabulary  lesson. 

In  the  exercises  on  "Streamside  and  Seashore,"  zest 
may  be  given  the  vocabulary  building  through  the  creat- 
ing of  descriptive  paragraphs  and  poems.  The  music  of 
the  stream  and  the  sea  generally  inspires  musical  expres- 
sion. The  following  are  some  of  the  little  poems  that 
were  created  by  sixth  grade  pupils  in  working  out  these 
exercises: 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  159 

THE  MILLSTREAM 

The  faithful  millstream  bright  and  clear 

That  comes  from  far  away, 
A  rippling,  dimpling  noise  we  hear 

As  o'er  the  rocks  it  plays. 
And  as  it  bounds,  and  leaps,  it  turns 
The  mill  wheel  big  and  round, 
And  grinds  the  wheat  and  com  so  ripe, 

Which  once  was  in  the  ground. 

—Harold  Goss. 

Happy  little  brooklet 

O'er  mossy  pebbles  slipping, 
Winding  in  and  out  the  meadow 

Forever  playful  and  free; 
Clear,  fresh  and  blue  as  the  sky, 
Flowing  all  day  thru  the  grasses, 

Never  growing  tired  and  sleepy, 
But  forever  onward  straying. 

—Rubelle  Bullough. 

Winding  softly  through  the  meadow, 

Glides  the  brook  just  like  a  shadow; 
Murmuring  sweetly  as  it  goes, 

Down  to  the  ocean  this  meadow  brook  flows. 

— Minnie  Champueys. 

0  bring  waters  of  our  lake, 
Rolling  from  shore  to  shore, 

A  mirror  for  the  hills  you  make 
And  image  them  evermore. 

— Gideon  Mac  Donald. 

THE  BROOK 

1  know  a  happy  little  brook 
That  through  the  meadow  flows. 

It  came  from  some  far  quiet  nook, 
Which  none  but  nature  knows. 

It  babbles  through  the  meadow  green 

And  sparkles  all  the  way, 
A  beautiful  and  peaceful  scene 

That  brightens  up  the  day. 

— Helen  Cunningham. 


160  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Art  work  may  well  be  blended  with  this  literary 
expression.  Pupils  may  draw  little  sketches  to  illustrate 
their  poems. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TWO— FAIRS  AND 
FESTIVALS 

In  this  study,  the  language  lessons  reinforce  the  boys' 
and  girls'  club  work  and  stimulate  interest  in  making 
and  in  producing  things  worth  while. 

Though  centered  on  school  fairs,  the  study  may  well 
include  other  exhibitions.  The  teacher  should  adapt 
the  work  to  the  experiences  of  the  pupils.  If  they 
have  not  had  direct  contact  with  fairs,  let  them  tell  of 
the  prize  winning  products  from  their  fathers'  farms,  or 
they  may  select  prize  winners  from  the  markets.  A 
visit  to  the  grocery  to  study  choice  fruits  and  vege- 
tables or  canned  goods  will  help. 

The  pupils'  work  and  play  interests  are  bound  up 
in  this  exercise.  Both  call  for  careful  guiding. 

Three  main  results  should  come  from  the  work: 

1.  Good  practice  in  oral  and  written  expression. 

2.  Sharpening  of  the  powers  of  observation. 

3.  Stimulating  an  interest  in  productive  work. 

Four  weeks  may  well  be  spent  in  carrying  out  the 
program  of  lessons  given. 

First  Week.     The  School  Fak 

The  best  preparation  for  talking  about  the  fair  is  the 
holding  of  a  fair.  In  country  schools  where  real  fairs  are 
being  held,  it  will  be  easy  to  have  a  school  fair  at  which 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 161 

pupils  may  exhibit  specimens  of  their  own  production 
and  handiwork  or  those  of  their  parents.  Every  school 
in  the  country  or  in  the  city  can  readily  arrange  such  an 
exhibit. 

The  language  work,  as  given  in  Exercises  15,16, 17,18, 

19,  correlates  closely  with  this  project.   Let  the  pupils, 
as  there  directed,  first  make  talks  about  fairs  and  exhibi- 
tions, next  plan  a  school  fair,  then  write  descriptions  of 
prize-winners,  and  carry  on  the  business  correspondence 
outlined.  Other  good  language  work  may  be  had  through 
making  posters,  writing  advertisements,  and  the  writing 
of  news  notes  telling  about  the  exhibition.   The  project 
offers  various  rich  possibilities  for  expression  work.    On 
page  162   is  a  sample  page  of  a  little  paper  produced  by 
one  school  in  connection  with  a  school  fair. 

Second  Week.     Telling  about  Shows 

After  the  fair,   the  work  offered   in   Exercises    19, 

20,  and  21,  may  be  taken  up.    Following  the  lead  of  the 
suggestions  there  given,  let  the  pupils  deal  not  only  with 
fairs,  but  with  circuses  and  other  shows. 

Good  oral  practice  may  also  be  had  by  leading  the 
pupils  to  tell  about  moving  pictures  and  plays. 

The  following  is  a  composition  which  was  produced 
by  a  sixth  grade  girl  while  working  out  one  of  the  topics 
given  in  Exercise  19,  under  this  study: 

THE  BALLOON  ASCENSION 

A  few  years  ago  out  at  the  fairground  there  was  a  balloon  ascension. 
It  was  quite  a  sight  to  see  them  fill  the  balloon  with  air,  as  it  gradually 
expanded  until  it  looked  almost  like  a  mammoth  hay  stack. 

The  upward  pull  being  so  strong  that  it  took  a  number  of  men  to  hold 
it  on  the  ground,  till  everthing  was  ready. 


l62 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


170 


THE  TEE  ESS  BEE 


AUTUMN 

Autumn  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
seasons  of  the  year,  when  the  leaves  are 
turning  and  the  harvest  is  being  taken  in. 

In  the  canyons  the  mountains  are 
spotted  with  blazing  clumps  of  maple. 
Often  we  would  go  for  quite  a  little  way 
without  seeing  much  unusual  coloring; 
then  suddenly  a  large,  brilliant  scarlet 
clump  would  flash,  like  fire,  into  sight. 

In  the  country  the  harvest  moon 
shines  brilliantly  down  upon  the  shocks 
of  grain,  stacks  of  corn,  and  pumpkins. 
The  days  are  full,  from  morning  to  night, 
with  the  harvesting. 

The  days  and  nights  begin  to  get 
colder.  The  sky  is  hazy  and  cloudy  and 
the  winds  are  laden  with  rain.  The  birds 
fly  south  and  leave  their  nests  among 
the  trees  during  the  winter  season. 

ANNA  MERRILL,  Seventh  Grade. 


The  Wind  Doth  Blow 
My  Hat  in  the  Snow 

This  would  not  happen  if 

you   would   come   to   the 

Training  School  Fair  and 

buy  a  hat  pin. 

Pencils,  Pencils, 
Everywhere 

but  not  a  place  to  put 
them.  Buy  a  hand-made 
pencil  tray  at  the  Train- 
ing School  Fair  and  see 
how  handy  it  will  be. 

Christmas  is  coming  bye 

and  bye 
Get    big    brother    a    nice 

necktie 
At    the    Training    School 

Fair! 


Toys!        Toys!        Toys! 

Bring  the  Girls  and  Boys! 

Doll  Caps       Jumping  Jacks       Scrap  Books       Doll  Sweaters 
Flower  Books  Hammocks 

Cinderella  Play  Theatre 

LEATHER  GOODS 

Music  Folios        Book  Covers    •    Card  Cases       Watch  Fobs 

Bags  Blotter  Corners  Book  Marks  Coin  Purses 

Made  by  the  Children. 

FOR  SALE  at  the 
TRAINING  SCHOOL  FAIR 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 163 

At  the  shout,  "Let  her  go,"  everybody  lets  loose  and  up  it  goes,  the 
man  going  up  with  it  grabbing  the  trapese  which  takes  him  along. 

The  balloon  goes  so  high  that  the  man  looks  like  a  very  small  child, 
when  finally  he  cuts  loose  his  parachute  and  drops  quite  a  distance 
before  it  opens,  to  let  him  down  slowly  to  the  ground. 

The  parachute  is  like  a  very  large  umbrella,  which  catches  enough 
air  under  it  to  hold  the  weight  of  the  man. 

After  the  parachute  is  cut  loose,  the  balloon  turns  bottom  end  up 
letting  the  hot  air  out,  and  then  falls  to  the  ground. 

—Ethel  Swank. 

Third  Week.    Descriptive  Words 

Following  the  suggestions  in  Exercises  22,  23,  24,  let 
the  pupils  make  a  study  of  adjectives,  and  practice 
writing  paragraphs  or  poems  that  describe.  A  little 
booklet  of  word  pictures  in  prose  and  verse  like  the  one 
given  in  the  text  may  come  from  this  work. 

Vocabulary-building  and  spelling  exercises  also  nat- 
urally grow  out  of  these  lessons. 

One  good  exercise  is  the  making  of  word  lists  repre- 
senting various  departments  in  the  fair.  For  example: 

Exhibit  A.   Fruits  and  Vegetables 


apples 

grapes 

tomatoes 

carrots 

pears 

nectarines 

potatoes 

beets 

peaches 

quinces 

squash 

melons 

plums 

apricots 

pumpkins 

parsnips 

Let  each  pupil  make  as  large  an  exhibit  as  he  can, 
without  using  the  dictionary  or  other  helps.  His  exhibit 
may  consist  of  the  things  he  can  spell  correctly.  Other 
lists;  as,  live  stock,  poultry,  farm  implements,  manu- 
factured articles,  hand  work,  may  be  made;  also  a  word 
circus  giving  the  animals  in  the  menagerie  may  be  made. 


164  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Fourth  Week.    Lessons  in  Number 
In  Exercises  26,  27,  28,  and  29,  will  be  found  work 
enough  to  fill  a  week.  The  drills  should  be  supplemented 
as  need  directs  to  fix  the  rules  in  tongue  and  fingers. 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE— STORIES  OF 
INDUSTRY 

The  central  purposes  of  this  industrial  language  study 
are: 

1.  To  give  pupils  good   practice   in   speaking   and   in 
writing  on  a  vital  subject. 

2.  To  waken  in  them  a  live  interest  in  the  industries  of 
their  community  and  of  their  country. 

In  carrying  out  the  project,  the  teacher  will  do  best: 

1.  To  provide,  with  the  help  of  the  pupils,  suitable  books, 
magazines,  catalogs,  and  pictures  reflecting  the  industrial 
life  of  our  country.   The  following  books  will  be  found  very 
helpful  here:  "Book  of  Knowledge,"  "Carpenter's  Geograph- 
ical Readers." 

2.  To  plan  for  class  excursions  to  industrial  plants. 

3.  To  arrange  with  some  teacher  or  teachers  in  other 
places  for  inter-school  correspondence. 

4.  To  have,  when  the  talks  are  ready,  an  audience  of 
patrons  and  pupils  to  hear  the  results. 

Four  weeks  may  well  be  spent  in  developing  the  work. 

First  Week.    Talks  on  Industry 

The  work  suggested  in  Exercise  30  may  be  expanded 
into  a  week  of  profitable  language  lessons.  Several 
recitations  and  study  periods  will  be  required  to  carry 
out  these  exercises  satisfactorily. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 165 

The  lessons  should  move  forward  naturally  in  three 
successive  steps: 

1.  Discovering  pupils'  worth-while  stories  of  industry. 

2.  Selecting  and  preparing  special  subjects  for  industry 
talks. 

3.  Giving  little  lectures  before  real  audiences. 

What  shall  be  the  day-by-day  program  of  exercises  in 
promoting  this  work  must  be  determined  largely  by  the 
size  and  by  the  experiences  of  the  class. 

The  following  types  of  work  will  be  necessary  to  get 
the  best  results: 

1.  Oral  lesson  to  draw  out  the  experiences  of  the  pupils. 

2.  Visiting  nearby  industrial  plants. 

3.  Outlining  the  talks. 

4.  Making  drawings  or  gathering  pictures  for  illustrations. 

5.  Reading  books  on  industry. 

6.  Learning  new  words  connected  with  the  subject. 

To  bring  out  the  very  best,  a  real  audience  will  be 
necessary.  This  may  be  provided  by  the  class  itself  or 
even,  at  times,  by  patrons. 

Let  the  first  week's  work,  except  for  outlining  the 
talks,  be  entirely  oral. 

Second  Week.     Inter-School  Correspondence 

Arrangements  for  the  exchange  of  letters  suggested  in 
Exercise  31,  should  be  made  in  good  time.  The  effort 
should  be  to  get  classes  from  very  different  industrial 
centers  into  cooperation  here.  Thus,  a  mining-camp 
school  may  correspond  with  one  in  an  agricultural 
community. 


i66  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  following  program  may  be  carried  out  in  prepar- 
ing the  letters: 

1.  Read  the  suggestions  and  letter  in  Exercise  31.   Out- 
line the  letter  on  "Making  Maple  Sugar." 

2.  Discuss  the  plan  and  select  subjects  for  letters.   Either 
a  composite  letter  may  be  developed  by  the  whole  class,  or 
each  pupil  may  produce  a  letter  on  some  special  topic,  or  on 
some  special  part  of  the  general  topic  chosen  by  the  class. 
For  illustration:    Suppose  Cotton  Growing  is  chosen.    One 
pupil  may  write  about  The  Cotton  Lands,  another  of  Plant- 
ing the  Cotton;  a  third  of  Enemies  of  the  Cotton  Plant;  a 
fourth  of  Cotton  Picking;  a  fifth  of  the  Cotton  Gin;  a  sixth  of 
The  Cotton  Seed  Products;  another  of  Marketing  the  Cotton; 
still  another  of  Making  Cotton  Cloth,  or  other  cotton  pro- 
ducts. The  dividing  of  the  subject  like  this  into  various  parts 
will  make  for  individual  as  well  as  for  team  work. 

Special  language  lessons  may  be  given  while  the 
letters  are  being  prepared,  such  as:  Spelling  Drills, 
Punctuation  Practice,  Vocabulary  Work,  Help  in  Para- 
graphing, and  Lessons  in  Grammatical  Forms.  These 
exercises  should  be  determined  by*  the  needs  of  the 
pupils  as  revealed  in  their  written  compositions.  During 
this  week  let  the  emphasis  be  given  to  written  work. 

Third    Week.       Studying    the    Paragraph    and    Sentence 

Building 

Exercises  32,  33,  and  34  should  be  followed  here. 
These  exercises  may  be  enriched  by  adding  other  para- 
graphs to  study,  and  by  giving  more  drill  work  to  drive 
home  the  essential  points  presented. 

Keep  in  view  the  central  thought,  How  to  Build  Clear 
Paragraphs  and  Clear  Sentences. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  167 

The  effort  should  be  to  develop  skill  to  say  but  one 
thing  in  each  paragraph  and  to  say  it  clearly.  In  doing 
this  a. sure  "sentence  sense"  will  of  necessity  be  culti- 
vated. 

For  additional  work,  the  study  of  possessive  case 
forms  may  be  also  taken  up  at  this  time. 

Fourth  Week 

If  this  period  falls,  as  it  probably  will,  just  before 
Thanksgiving,  the  pupils  may  be  given  the  interesting 
work  of  comparing  the  pioneer  industries  with  those  of 
to-day.  Let  them  gather  stories  of  pioneer  days  relating 
to  early-day  industries.  An  exhibit  of  old-time  tools, 
specimens  of  handwork  by  both  women  and  men, 
pictures  of  pioneer  homes  and  pioneer  workshops,  will 
be  useful  in  stimulating  a  lively  interest  in  this  work. 

A  Thanksgiving  program  for  the  parents  may  well 
grow  out  of  these  practical,  close-to-life  lessons. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR— ENTERTAINMENTS 

This  study  turns  language  work  to  the  stimulating 
and  creating  of  wholesome  recreation.  Between  Thanks- 
giving and  Christmas  seems  the  best  time  for  the  work. 

Let  the  pupils  bring  to  school  books  and  magazines 
containing  seasonable  stories  and  plays.  The  room  may 
also  be  given  a  holiday  spirit  with  artistic  decorations. 
These  language  aims  should  be  kept  clear: 

i.  Oral  expression  through  the  pupils  relating  their 
experiences,  playing  shows,  through  retelling  stories  of  plays 
and  of  moving  pictures,  and  through  playing  original  plays. 


i68 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

2.  Written  expression  in  the  form  of  plays  created  by  the 
class  or  by  individual  pupils. 

3 .  Tongue-training  and  finger- training  exercises  in  correct 
usage,  and  enunciation  and  punctuation  based  on  the  pupils' 
needs  as  revealed  in  their  oral  and  written  work. 

The  following  is  a  suggestive  program  that  may  be 
carried  out  with  such  changes  as  the  situation  makes 
necessary: 

First  Week.    Telling  about  Plays 

The  opening  lesson  here  is  clearly  suggested  in 
Exercise  37.  Using  the  questions  there  with  others  of 
like  purpose,  lead  the  pupils  to  tell  of  their  interesting 
experiences  in  playing  show. 

Seat  Work.  Following  this  informal  oral  exercise, 
each  pupil  may  study  the  little  stories  given  in  Exercise 
38  and  plan  to  tell  them  and  some  story  of  his  own  or 
others  similar. 

The  second  recitation  may  be  another  oral  exercise 
during  which  the  "show  stories"  that  have  been  pre- 
pared are  related. 

Seat  Work.  Let  the -pupils  read  one  of  the  stories 
suggested  in  "Little  Women,"  the  "Story  of  a  Bad 
Boy,"  or  other  books  containing  stories  of  children  at 
play. 

A  third  oral  exercise  may  be  the  telling  of  some  story 
the  pupils  have  seen  played  in  the  moving  pictures  or  in 
the  theater. 

Seat  Work.  A  written  expression  about  favorite 
"movies"  and  heroes  and  heroines  might  be  valuable 
guidance  for  the  teacher  here.  Let  each  pupil  write  a 
paragraph  or  two  on  "What  Shows  I  Like  Best." 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  169 

Following  the  oral  work,  if  time  permits,  the  teacher 
may  plan  drills  based  on  the  needs  of  pupils  as  revealed 
in  their  speech.  A  review  exercise  on  the  John  he,  this 
here,  and  other  expressions  wherein  words  are  used 
needlessly,  will  probably  be  necessary  at  this  point. 
Exercises  on  words  ending  in  ing,  and  other  tongue- 
training  drills,  may  also  be  needed.  Use  here  also 
Exercises  40  and  41. 

Second  Week.    Creating  the  Play  or  Plays 

The  first  thing  necessary  is  to  have  a  democratic 
discussion  of  the  project.  Let  the  pupils,  under  tactful 
guidance,  express  themselves  and  make  their  plan  for 
working  out  the  play. 

The  play  may  be  created  in  any  one  of  a  number  of 
ways: 

1.  Each  pupil  may  write  a  play  and  the  best  play  may  be 
selected. 

2.  The  class,  if  large,  may  be  divided  into  several  groups 
and  two  or  more  pupils  together  may  produce  a  play. 

3.  The  main  play  may  be  worked  out  by  the  class  under 
the  direction  of  the  teacher,  the  pupils  during  study  periods 
being  permitted  to  write  only  certain  parts,  as  songs  or  cer- 
tain acts. 

4.  If  an  original  play  seems  too  difficult,  let  the  pupils 
dramatize  some  good  suitable  story  as  suggested. 

A  full  week  of  interesting  recitation  and  seat  work  will 
be  needed  to  put  the  play  into  form  for  rehearsing  and 
presenting.  Follow  the  same  form  and  punctuation  in 
writing  the  play  as  that  found  in  "  Frolics  in  Toy  land," 
Exercise  39. 


1 7o  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Third  Week.    Practicing  and  Presenting  a  Play 

A  week  at  least  will  be  needed  for  practicing  and 
presenting  the  play.  Manual  work  in  making  the  stage 
where  one  is  necessary,  and  art  work  in  making  the 
scenes  and  the  costumes  will  be  required. 

No  set  program  of  exercises  can  well  be  given.  The 
teacher  must  make  her  own  day-by-day  plans  in  carry- 
ing this  work  forward. 

The  motivation  in  creative  dramatic  work  is  compel- 
ling enough  generally  to  carry  a  class  over  all  difficulties. 
Pupils  need  mainly  to  be  held  within  bounds,  to  have 
their  enthusiasm  guided  steadily  towards  the  end  in 
view. 

The  following  are  some  songs  from  a  play  created 
under  the  stimulus  of  the  exercises  given  under  this 
project. 

BROWNIE  BREEZES 
We're  the  lively  Brownie  breezes, 
We  bring  the  coughs  and  sneezes. 
We  rustle  and  we  bustle, 
We  make  the  snowflakes  hustle; 
But  we  bring  the  merry  spring 
And  the  birds  upon  the  wing. 

We're  the  lively  Brownie  breezes, 
We  bring  the  coughs  and  sneezes. 
O'er  hilltop,  meadow,  and  lea, 
Blowing  and  puffing  merrily  we 
Ooo,  ooo,  ooo!  listen  to  us  sing, 
Calling  back  the  flowers  of  spring. 
Ooo,  ooo,  ooo! 

SPRING  SONG 
Merry  spring  at  last  is  here, 
The  birds  are  singing  their  songs  of  cheer; 
The  flowers  are  budding  everywhere, 
There's  music  and  fragrance  in  the  air. 


SIXTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 171 

Come  away,  come  and  play, 
Let's  frolic  all  day. 
We'll  dance  o'er  the  meadow, 
We'll  climb  up  the  hills, 
We'll  pluck  the  gay  flowers, 
We'll  sing  with  the  rills. 

The  flicker  is  beating  his  jolly  old  drum. 
'  The  meadow  lark's  whistling,  "Spring  has  come." 
The  streams  are  sparkling,  the  blossoms  are  gay, 
The  sun  has  driven  the  snow  away. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— LIFE  IN  THE   CITY 

The  country  child  should  be  interested  in  the  city. 
The  city  child  should  likewise  study  the  life  throbbing 
about  him.  Both,  rightly  led,  will  be  ready  to  tell  inter- 
esting experiences  they  have  had  or  have  heard  about 
city  life.  This  expression  offers  opportunity : 

1.  For  vital  practice  in  speech  and  in  writing. 

2.  For  the  correction  of  false  impressions. 

3.  For  the  teaching  of  practical  civic  life. 

An  entire  month  may  well  be  given  to  the  lessons  as 
outlined. 

The  following  definite  plan  of  action,  followed  rightly, 
will  bring  the  desired  results. 

First  Week.    Talks,  Sketches,  and  Studies  about  City  Life 

1.  Exchanging  experiences.    Writing  "Seeing  the  City" 
description. 

2.  Reading  and  improving  the  sketches.   Making  a  "See- 
ing the  City"  booklet. 

3.  Telling  of  exciting  events  in  city.  Writing  the  story. 

4.  Reading  and  improving  stories.    Study  of  "Fireman 
Story." 

5.  Reading  other  stories  of  city.  Spelling  lesson. 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


The  spelling  study  last  suggested  should  be  made  from 
useful  words  connected  with  city  life,  needed  by  the 
children.  A  list  made  up  of  the  misspelled  words  in  their 
papers  will  give  excellent  practice. 

Second  Week.    Young  Citizens 

Exercises  45  and  46  afford  a  week  of  interesting  work. 
The  following  program  suggests  how  these  exercises  may 
be  expanded  into  a  series  of  worth-while  lessons. 

1.  Talks  on  topics  in  Exercise  45.   Writing  on  one  of  the 
topics. 

2.  Forming  a  Young  Citizens'  Club.  Writing  rules  for  the 
club. 

3.  Discussion  by  the  club  of  "The  Cost  of  Carelessness." 
Making  safety  first  rules  for  boys  and  girls. 

4.  Writing  news  notes  on  city  happenings.  Studying  news 
items. 

5.  Study  of  verbs.  Finding  expressive  verbs. 

In  preparation  for  writing  news  notes,  the  pupils 
should  bring  newspapers  to  school.  From  these  let  them 
find  news  stories  telling  of  incidents  similar  to  those 
they  are  studying,  observing  the  way  these  are  told  and 
the  words  used. 

Third  Week.    Study  of  Adjectives  and  Adverbs 

Following  the  lead  of  Exercises  47,  48,  49,  and  50  let 
the  pupils  be  given  a  vitalized  study  of  verbs,  adjectives, 
and  adverbs.  To  make  the  study  vital,  connect  it  with 
the  composition  exercises  of  this  general  study. 

Seat  Work.  Find  well  chosen  adjectives  in  the 
advertisements  of  the  newspapers.  Use  also  descriptive 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 173 

paragraphs  on  city  life.  Increase  the  drills  on  adverbial 
forms  by  having  the  pupils  find  or  compose  other 
sentences  wherein  adverbs  should  be  used. 

Fourth  Week.    Reviews 

According  to  the  time  remaining  in  the  month  and 
the  needs  of  the  pupils  as  revealed  in  the  oral  and 
written  work,  the  review  drill  given  in  Exercise  51  may 
be  increased. 

Add  to  this  drill  reviews  in  the  following: 

1.  The     correct-usage     tables,     especially,     "Needless 
Words;"  lie,  lay;  sit,  set;  rise,  raise;  contractions;  trouble- 
some principal  parts  and  other  forms  calling  for  attention. 

2.  The  "  and"  habit. 

A  week  of  work  may  well  be  given  here  to  clearing 
away  common  errors  in  speech  that  seem  to  be  persisting. 
Endeavor  to  get  the  pupils  to  take  the  responsibility  for 
their  own  correction.  They  may  be  led  to  do  this  in 
several  ways.  For  illustration: 

1.  Making  Correct-Usage  Book,  already  described  in  the 
fifth  grade. 

2.  Using  the  Correction  Box.   Into  some  little  box  placed 
in  the  classroom,  the  pupils  may  drop  slips  containing  errors 
they  have  heard  their  classmates  make.    These  may  be 
used  for  correct-usage  lessons. 

3.  The  Good-Speech  Week. 

Direct  the  drill  towards  clearing  away  the  "  trouble 
spots."  Give  emphatic  attention,  for  example,  to  the 
work  on  lie,  sit,  rise,  and  their  parts;  rather  than  on  lay, 
set,  and  raise  which  are  overused. 


174  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

He  lies  down  every  day  after  lunch. 

The  book  lay  on  the  table. 

The  old  tree  had  lain  there  several  years. 

It  was  lying  on  the  lawn. 

Sit  up,  Rover.  Did  you  rise  early? 

I  sat  on  the  porch.  I  rose  at  six. 

He  has  sat  there  an  hour.  Has  Tom  risen  yet? 

I  saw  you  sitting  there.  The  prices  are  rising. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SIX— STORIES  OF  OUR 
COUNTRY 

This  language-history  study  offers  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity : 

1.  For  good  practice  in  speech  and  in  writing. 

2.  For  good  oral  and  silent  reading. 

3.  For  vitalized  lessons  in  patriotism. 

February,  the  patriotic  month,  may  best  be  given  to 
the  study. 

To  prepare  for  the  study,  let  the  pupils  and  teacher 
bring  suitable  pictures.  Decorate  the  room  with  these 
and  with  appropriate  blackboard  drawings  and  flags. 

The  school  library  also  should  be  enriched  with  books 
containing  well  told,  choice  stories  of  our  country. 
Following  are  a  few  such  books:  "Colonial  Stories," 
"Boys  of  Seventy-Six,"  "Boys  of  Sixty-One,"  all  by 
Charles  Coffin;  "The  Thirteen  Colonies,"  by  Guerber. 

The  following  plan  of  action  suggests  how  this  study 
may  well  include  four  weeks  of  profitable  work. 

First  Week.    Retelling  Patriotic  Stories 
Informal   Story-telling.     Using   the   introduction   to 
Exercise  52,  " Stories  of  Our  Country,"  stimulate  the 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 175 

pupils  to  tell  any  choice  story  of  American  heroes  or 
heroines  they  may  recall.  It  will  generally  be  found  that 
they  do  not  remember  well  many  of  these  stories. 

During  the  study  period  they  may  read  some  choice 
story  to  retell  the  next  day.  Follow  here  the  suggestions 
given  in  Exercise  52.  . 

If  desired,  several  stories  about  one  hero  may  be  told 
by  a  group  of  pupils.  Thus,  group  one  may  take  "The 
Life  of  Columbus,"  each  pupil  giving  a  choice  story  from 
his  life;  as,  "The  Boyhood  of  Columbus,"  "Columbus, 
the  Captain,"  "Columbus  Seeks  the  Kings,"  "Columbus 
and  Isabella,"  "The  First  Voyage,"  "Columbus  Finds 
America,"  "Columbus  Returns  in  Triumph,"  "Legend 
of  Columbus  and  the  Egg,"  "Columbus  in  Chains." 

Group  two  may  take  "The  Life  of  Washington"  and 
likewise,  develop  the  story  of  "The  Father  of  Our  Coun- 
try" by  telling  the  various  incidents  of  Washington's  life. 

Besides  the  old-time  tales  suggested,  let  new  ones  be 
found.  A  fine  story  hour  might  easily  be  had  around 
some  general  topic  such  as  Hero  Stories  of  the  World 
War,  or  Hero  Stories  of  the  Spanish- American  War, 
or  The  Civil  War.  Pupils  should  gather  such  stories 
from  first-hand  sources  and  preserve  them  in  booklets 
for  the  library. 

Writing  Stories  and  Poems  of  Patriotism.  To  pre- 
pare well  the  stories  selected,  each  pupil  should  write  the 
story.  Added  motivation  may  be  given  to  this  work  by 
arranging  to  have  a  second  Hero  Story  Hour  before  some 
audience  besides  the  class.  Other  classes  will  usually 
be  glad  to  be  this  audience. 

In  working  out  their  stories,  some  pupils  prefer  to 


1 76  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

express  themselves  in  verse.  Let  this  desire  be  encour- 
aged. The  following  poem  came  from  a  sixth  grade  boy 
while  working  under  the  stimulus  of  a  similar  motive. 

COLUMBUS 

Columbus  sailed  the  ocean 

In  fourteen-ninety-two : 
And  found  for  us  this  goodly  land, 

Where  waves  the  red,  white,  and  blue. 

He  wanted  to  reach  India, 

But  America  he  found 
In  all  its  wealth  and  glory, 

And  proved  the  earth  is  round. 

He  was  a  brave  and  noble  man, 

He  did  his  duty  well, 
And  now  the  little  boys  and  girls 

His  story  love  to  tell. 

— Harold  Perry  Driggs. 

Second  Week.    Hero  Tales  in  Verse 

Following  here  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  52,  let  the 
week  be  spent  in  reading  and  in  talking  about  the  his- 
torical selections  suggested  and  others  of  similar  spirit. 

These  poems  should  be  studied  in  their  historical 
settings.  An  example  of  such  a  study  with  a  language 
purpose  is  given  in  Exercise  55.  For  other  examples, 
with  the  emphasis  on  reading,  see  in  Studies  in  Reading 
by  Searson  and  Martin — 

"Columbus,"  Eighth  Grade  Reader,  page  80. 

"Paul  Revere's  Ride,"  Fifth  Grade  Reader,  page  158. 

Good  oral  language  work  and  oral  reading  will  come 
from  such  studies. 


SIXTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE 177 

Third  Week.    A  Patriotic  Program 

For  Washington's  Birthday,  a  patriotic  program 
growing  out  of  the  previous  lessons  may  be  prepared  and 
presented. 

The  pupils,  tactfully  guided,  should  plan  this  program. 
It  may  consist  of: 

1.  Patriotic  songs. 

2.  Choice  old  hero  tales. 

3.  A  patriotic  play. 

4.  Original  poems  and  speeches. 

5.  New  hero  tales  of  the  world  war  or  of  other  recen' 
events. 

Arrange  that  all  pupils  participate  in  some  way.  The 
play  and  songs  will  give  every  one  a  chance  to  take  part. 
Those  giving  stories,  original  poems,  and  speeches  may 
be  chosen  by  some  competitive  system.  Preparing  for  a 
program  gives  excellent  motivation. 


Fourth  Week.    The  Twelfth  Correct-Usage  Table 

In  the  lessons  and  drills  given  in  Exercises  57  to  60  is 
a  practical  study  of  pronouns.  The  troublesome  forms 
of  this  part  of  speech  make  the  twelfth  Correct-Usage 
Table.  Let  the  effort  be  directed  primarily  towards 
training  the  pupils  to  use  these  forms  correctly. 

If  more  drills  are  needed,  they  can  be  easily  provided 
by  having  the  pupils  make  or  find  in  their  readers  and 
in  other  books  sentences  wherein  these  trouble-makers 
occur. 


178  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN— SCHOOLDAYS 
AND  SCHOOLMATES 

This  study  offers  excellent  opportunity  for  a  well 
guided  expression  of  school  spirit.  Such  expression  may 
be  turned  to  good  account  in  various  directions.  From  it 
should  come  these  language  returns: 

1.  Interesting  school-day  stories  from  both  pupils  and 
patrons. 

2.  A  school-day  book  made  by  the  class,  or  booklets 
made  by  the  pupils  to  keep  as  souvenirs  of  their  elementary 
school  days. 

3.  Practical  discussions  that  lead  to  "clean-up  days," 
the  promoting  of  club  work,  and  to  other  worth-while  school 
activities. 

Two  weeks  or  more  may  profitably  be  spent  on  the 
study. 

The  following  plan  suggests  how  Exercises  61  to  64 
can  be  arranged  to  fill  these  weeks  with  rich  and  interest- 
ing work: 

First  Week 

For  the  Recitation  For  Seat  Work 

Read  and  discuss  "  In  School  Have   the  pupils   draw,   or 

Days,"  following  the  sug-  write  description  of  some 

gestive  questions  in  text.  schoolhouse    they     know 

Tell  early-day  school  stories.  best.   When  they  go  home 

Get  here  choice  tales  of  have  them  get  some  good 

school    fun,   stories   of  story    of    "early    school 

struggles    for    education,  days"  from  their  parents 

description    of   pioneer  or  from  old  pioneers, 
schoolhouses. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


179 


Share  stories  of  the  first  day 
at  school. 

Tell  funny  school-day  ex- 
periences. Get  those  that 
actually  happened. 

Read  stories  and  jokes  and 
improve  and  enrich  them. 


Write  the  pioneer  school 
story  for  the  school-day 
booklet.  Illustrate  with 
drawings  or  kodak  pic- 
tures. 

Write  the  story  of  the  first 
school  day  for  the  booklet. 

Begin  a  page  of  school-day 
fun  for  the  booklet. 

Continue  making  the  book- 
let. 


Second  Week 


For  the  Recitation 

Read  from  "Tom  Sawyer," 
"The  Hoosier  School 
Boy,"  or  other  books,  a 
good  school-day  story. 

Read  and  improve  the  stories. 

Lead  the  class  to  create  a 
class  song. 


For  Seat  Work 

Following  the  suggestions  in 
Ex.  62,  have  the  pupils 
work  out  their  best  school- 
day  stories. 

Put  the  stories  into  the  best 
form  for  the  booklet. 

Let  each  pupil  try  to  write 
a  school  song  or  poem. 


The  remainder  of  the  week  should  be  given  to  com- 
pleting the  booklet.  Encourage  originality  here.  Each 
pupil  may  have  pictures,  stories,  jokes,  and  little  personal 
touches  that  give  individuality  to  his  work.  Within 
sensible  bounds,  let  him  use  his  own  initiative. 

When  the  composition  is  done,  an  art  cover  should  be 
made  by  each  pupil.  The  various  booklets  should  be 
exhibited,  perhaps  hung  on  the  wall,  for  several  days 
for  all  to  enjoy  before  the  pupils  take  them  home. 


i8o  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  following  is  the  refrain  of  a  song  worked  out  by 
sixth  grade  pupils  during  this  exercise.  It  suggests  the 
spirit  with  which  the  pupils  entered  into  the  work: 

School  Song 

"Oh,  we're  the  school  at  the  top  of  the  hill, 
'Neath  the  snow-capped  mountain's  crest, 
We  work  and  we  play  with  a  right  good  will; 
That's  why  we  are  the  best." 

GENERAL  STUDY  EIGHT— WILD  ANIMAL 
LIFE 

A  language-nature  study  with  a  challenging  interest 
for  both  boys  and  girls  in  either  country  or  city  is  here 
offered. 

Not  all  the  pupils  will  have  had  the  same  rich  experi- 
ences with  wild  animals.  All,  however,  will  be  found  to 
be  intensely  interested  in  animals.  Each  pupil  also  will 
have  some  first-hand  story  to  relate  about  some  animal 
he  has  observed  in  the  wilds,  in  the  zoo,  at  the  circus,  or 
about  rats  and  mice.  Some  also  may  have  kept  rabbits, 
guinea  pigs,  squirrels,  or  other  animals  in  cages. 

The  central  purpose  of  the  study  is  to  keep  this 
interest  alive  and  to  direct  it  toward  the  following  ends: 

1.  Good  language  practice. 

2.  Conservation  of  the  wild  game. 

3.  Humane  treatment  of  captive  animals. 

Three  weeks  of  good  work  may  well  be  given  to  the  study. 

To  prepare  for  the  project  let  the  pupils  bring  to 
school  pictures  of  wild  animals,  the  animal  story-books 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  181 

suggested  in  Exercise  68,  with  any  other  good  animal 
books  they  may  have,  and  specimens  of  live  or  mounted 
animals,  if  they  have  them  or  can  get  them. 

The  following  is  a  suggestive  plan  of  action  that  will 
bring  good  results: 

First  Week.  Telling  and  Writing  Animal  Stories 

1.  During  the  first  recitation,  the  pupils  may  enjoy  and 
discuss  the  story,  " Clever  Chipmunks."   Stimulated  by  this 
story  and  by  the  suggestive  questions  following  it,  they  should 
be  ready  to  tell  their  own  animal  experiences. 

While  the  interest  is  still  keen,  let  them  write  the  story. 
The  following  little  compositions  show  about  what 
may  be  expected  at  the  first  draft: 

THE  FISHING  TRIP 

Once  on  a  summer  day  when  I  was  in  kindergarten  Father  Mother 
and  I  went  on  a  fishing  trip.  They  were  fishing  when  all  of  a  sudden  I 
gave  a  shrill  little  cry  they  looked  and  a  big  snake  was  winding  around 
my  leg.  they  took  a  knife  and  uncoiled  it.  When  it  got  loose  it  ran  away 
in  the  water,  that  was  my  great  experience. 

TRAPING  MUSHRATS  AND  MINK 

My  brother  and  my  father  sister  and  I  went  down  on  mudy  lake  to 
sit  some  traps.  As  we  were  going  down  we  saw  a  very  queer  looking 
animal.  It  was  brown  as  we  went  near  it  went  out  of  sight  in  the  water 
and  never  seen  it  any  more.  The  next  morning  when  we  went  back  to 
the  traps  a  mush  rat  was  in  it.  the  mushrat  is  a  very  pretty  animal  it  is 
between  a  brown  and  black.  And  the  mushrat  has  a  musk  bag  with  they 
make  perfum  out  of  it.  And  the  hides  our  used  in  making  coats  and 
muffs.  And  the  next  day  we  was  going  out  on  the  ice  and  broke  with 
us  and  got  all  wet.  My  big  brother  went  on  down  farther  to  his  traps 
and  he  got  twenty  mush  rats.  And  we  never  got  anything. 

2.  With  a  set  of  such  compositions  in  hand,  the  teacher 
has  the  materials  for  one,  two,  or  more,  good  "follow-up 
lessons"    in    sentence    building,    punctuation,    grammar, 
vocabulary  work,  and  spelling.    Use  the  pupils'  sentences 
and  errors  in  other  lines  as  a  basis  for  these  lessons. 


182  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

For  illustration:  In  the  set  of  papers  from  which  the 
two  samples  just  given  were  taken,  the  following  were 
found  misspelled : 

trapping  stopped  killed  until 


muskrats 

always 

chasing 

unconscious 

which 

chased 

two 

skunks 

perfume 

scared 

pickerel 

cousin 

running 

struck 

bridge 

our 

sitting 

missed 

waist 

gophers 

ground 

spade 

kept 

cellar 

The  following  errors  in  grammar  were  also  found : 

I  never  seen  it  any;  more. 

Once  I  seen  a  squirrel. 

One  day  about  five  of  some  boys  and  I  was  in  the  wood. 

We  was  up  there  about  two  weeks. 

The  sentences  were  filled  with  "ands."  There  were 
many  wherein  no  attention  was  paid  to  capitals  and 
periods;  as, 

One  day  as  I  was  out  in  the  yard  I  saw  a  squirrel  running 
about  I  fed  it  crumbs  daily  it  stayed  with  me  for  about  three 
weeks. 

There  was  a  call  also  for  vocabulary  work.  The  words 
generally  were  trite. 

3.  When  their  work  has  been  done,  let  the  class  try 
again  to  improve  their  animal  stories.  They  may  be  given 
opportunity  to  read  these  before  their  classmates  or  others. 
Some  pupils  may  wish  to  write  two  or  three  or  more  stories. 
Let  them  do  so.  Follow  the  suggestions  in  Exercise  67  on  this 
point. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


183 


Second  Week.   Reading  and  Creating  Animal  Tales 
i.   This  work  may  well  be  opened  with  A  Story  Hour 
during  which  the  pupils  retell  some  of  the  choice  stories  they 
have  read  from  the  books  named  in  Exercise  68,  or  from  other 
good  animal  story-books. 


Original  story  and  original  drawings  by  a  sixth  grade  pupil  working  out  Exercise  62. 


184  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

During  the  study  period  the  pupils  may  read  more  of  such 
stories  and  on  the  following  day  they  may  have  a  second 
animal  Story  Hour.  Following  this,  the  pupils  should  be  led 
to  create  little  animal  stories  or  fables  of  their  own.  The 
preceding  cut  shows  what  can  be  done  with  this  exercise 
when  the  class  is  rightly  taught. 

For  these  interesting  lessons,  resulting  in  delightful 
original  stories,  a  full  week  will  be  needed. 

Third  Week.    Review  Studies  in  Elementary  Grammar 

For  this  week's  work  Exercises  70  to  74  provide  a 
definite  and  practical  program  to  be  followed. 

Let  the  Correct-Usage  Table  Eleven,  Needless 
Words,  reviewed  and  enlarged  in  Exercise  74,  be  enriched 
as  there  suggested  by  drills  to  overcome  off  of,  off  from, 
going  to,  and  other  superfluous  prepositions.  In  back  of 
is  another  such  expression  that  also  needs  attention. 

Pupils  should  work  out  their  own  drill  table  here  by 
composing  for  their  Correct-Usage  Book  such  sentences; 
as, 

He  bought  it  from  a  grocer. 

The  dog  jumped  off  the  porch. 

I  fell  off  the  fence. 

Where  are  you  going? 

Where  is  he  going? 

The  tree  stood  behind  the  cabin. 

The  horse  lay  behind  the  barn. 

Meet  the  situation  as  need  directs.  Adapt  the  drill 
work  to  the  pupils;  do  not  bend  the  pupils  to  the  lesson. 
Help  them  to  discover  their  own  errors  and  work  to  get 
them  to  take  the  responsibility  for  self-correction. 


SIXTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  185 

GENERAL  STUDY  NINE— ORCHARD  AND 
WILDWOOD 

The  central  purposes  of  this  study  on  Orchard  and 
Wildwood  are: 

1.  To  give  good  language  practice  in  speaking  and  in 
writing. 

2.  To  cultivate  an  appreciation  of  trees  from  the  practical 
as  well  as  from  the  aesthetic  viewpoint. 

3.  To  promote  the  proper  observance  of  Arbor  Day. 
Two  weeks  or  more  may  be  spent  profitably  on  this 

study.  The  time  between  April  first  and  April  fifteenth 
seems  to  be  the  best  period  for  the  lessons. 

From  this  study  should  come  an  attractive  and  helpful 
Arbor  Day  program. 

To  prepare  for  the  study  the  pupils  should  help  the 
teacher  in  gathering : 

1.  Books  that  tell  of  lumbering,  fruit  growing,  the  tur- 
pentine, the  rubber,  and  other  tree  industries. 

2.  Pictures  illustrative  of  these  industries,  parks,  and 
forests. 

3.  Specimens  of  wood,  leaves,  and  blossoms  from  trees. 
The  following  plan  suggests  how  the  lessons  may  be 

carried  forward  with  the  desired  results: 

First  Week.   Tales  and  Written  Sketches  about  Trees 

For  the  Recitation  For  the  Study  Period 

Talking  about  trees.  Let  the  pupils  choose  some 

Study  the  poem  and  the  para-  tree  they  know  best  and 

graph  given  in  Exercise  75  write  its  story.   One  class, 

and  lead  the  pupils  to  ex-  in  carrying  out  this  exer- 

press  their  own  thoughts  cise,  produced  a  series  of 

freely  about  "Our  Friends,  tree  autobiographies.   One 

the  Trees."  boy's  story  is  given  below. 


1 86  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Reading  tree  stories  to  class-      A  spelling  study  on  names  of 
mates.  trees. 

THE  RED  PINE'S  STORY 

I  am  a  tall,  straight,  strong  red  pine.  For  forty  years  I  have  been 
growing,  growing,  growing  on  the  side  of  a  high  mountain  in  Wyoming. 
I  have  seen  many  interesting  things  during  my  life. 

One  day  a  hunter  killed  a  big  bear  right  by  me.  He  shot  three  times 
before  the  fierce  animal  fell  dead.  One  of  the  bullets  hit  me.  It  is 
buried  in  my  side. 

Another  day  a  great  snowslide  came  crashing  and  roaring  down  the 
mountain.  I  thought  my  days  were  ended,  but  luckily  it  did  not  reach 
our  grove. 

The  squirrels  and  chipmunks  frolic  in  my  branches.  I  give  them  pine 
cones  to  eat.  They  chatter  their  thanks  to  me. 

Some  day  I  know  I  shall  be  cut  down.  If  I  am,  I  hope  I  may  be  made 
into  a  mast  for  some  good  ship  and  sail  around  the  world.  I  am  sure  I 
should  make  a  fine  mast  for  I  am  as  straight  as  an  arrow  and  very  strong. 

Zest  may  be  given  to  the  spelling  study  by  having 
the  pupils  make,  without  help,  a  tree  alphabet;  as  follows: 

A.  Ash,  apple,  apricot,  almond,  and  other  trees. 

B.  Beech,  butternut,  balm-of-Gilead,  and  other  trees. 

The  pupil  who  can  arrange  and  spell  correctly  without 
help  the  largest  number  of  names  of  trees  wins  this  game. 

Tales  of  forest  fun  and  other  Prepare    from    books    and 

tree  experiences.     Follow  other  helps  little  lectures 

the  suggestions  in  Exercise  about  lumbering,  gather- 

76.  ing  turpentine,  fruit  grow- 

Talks  on  useful  trees.    Two  ing,  and  other  tree  indus- 

recitations  or  more  may  be  tries.    Use  topics  in  Exer- 

given  to  this  work.  cise  77  or  others  like  them 

If  the  class  is  large  each  pupil  as  titles, 

may  make  but  one  brief  More  reading  about   trees, 

talk;  if  small,  each  pupil  gathering  pictures  of  work 

may   give   two   or   more  among  trees. 


SIXTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  187 

short  talks  6r  one  longer  Mount  these  on  large  card- 
one,  boards  for  use  in  talks.  Or 
Let  these  talks  be  as  original  prepare  to  use  in  reflecto- 
as  possible.  Use  the  books  scope  if  a  good  one  is 
only  to  help  the  first-hand  available, 
knowledge  the  pupil  may  The  idea  is  to  have  the  pupils 
possess.  give  real  lectures  clearly 

illustrated  in  the  best  pos- 
sible way. 

Second  Week.    Reading  and  Creating   Stories,  Plays,  and 
Poems  about  Trees 

Under  the  stimulus  of  the  real  motive  of  preparing  an 
Arbor  Day  program,  the  pupils  should  produce  some 
excellent  results  here. 

Lesson  i.    Descriptions  of  Trees 

These  may  be  given  in  prose  or  verse.  Let  the  pupils 
express  their  appreciation  of  "Our  Friends,  the  Trees," 
freely  and  naturally,  in  whatever  form  they  may  choose. 

Lesson  2.     Reading  Stories  and  Poems  about  Trees 

Blend  the  language  and  reading  lessons  here,  by 
having  a  socialized  story  and  poem  study.  Each  pupil 
may  be  given  one  of  the  tales  or  the  poems  suggested  in 
Exercises  79  and  80  and  may  prepare  to  tell  the  story 
or  to  read  the  poem  before  the  class. 

Any  of  the  selections  may  be  taken  up  by  the  class  as 
reading-language  study.  For  suggestions  on  reading  see 
"Woodman,  Spare  That  Tree!"  Studies  in  Reading; 
Sixth  Grade,  page  41. 


i88 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lessons  3  and  4.     Working  Out  a  Tree  Play 
Using  the  outline  given  of  "Old  Pipes  and  the  Dryad " 
in  Exercise  81,  let  the  pupils  complete  and  practice  the 
play. 

Lesson  5.     The  Father  of  Arbor  Day 
A  study  here  may  be  made  of  the  life  of  J.  Sterling 
Morton,  to  whom  is  due  the  credit  for  the  holiday  that 
has  helped  so  much  to  cover  America's  plains  with  trees 
and  to  protect  and  to  preserve  our  woodlands. 

The  Arbor  Day  program  should  follow  the  suggestions 
given  in  Exercise  82. 

GENERAL  STUDY  TEN— BEGINNINGS  IN 
COMPOSITION 

A  condensed  summary  and  practical  review  of  the 
lessons  in  elementary  composition  work  is  given  here. 

Two  or  three  weeks,  as  time  permits,  should  be  given 
to  these  review  studies.  They  represent  the  minimum 
essentials  necessary  for  the  completing  of  the  sixth 
grade. 

In  giving  these  reviews  the  teacher  should  first  get 
the  pupils  to  check  up  their  own  faults.  Following  the 
suggestions  in  Exercise  83,  let  them  ask  themselves  the 
following  ten  self- testing  questions: 

1.  Do  I  stand  erect  when  I  speak? 

2.  Do  I  look  into  the  faces  of  my  hearers? 

3.  Do  I  make  clear  and  complete  sentences? 

4.  Do  I  stick  to  my  subject? 

5.  Am  I  careful  in  my  choice  of  words? 

6.  Do  I  enunciate  my  words  distinctly? 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  189 

7.  Am  I  neat  in  my  written  work? 

8.  Do  I  spell  correctly? 

9.  Do  my  fingers  follow  the  rules  of  punctuation  and 
capitalization  that  I  know? 

10.   Do  I  leave  proper  margins  and  indent  my  para- 
graphs correctly? 

The  foregoing  general  test  questions  should  be  followed 
with  special  reviews  as  suggested  in  Exercises  84,  85,  86, 
87,  88,  and  89. 

Just  what  amount  of  time  shall  be  given  to  any  one 
of  the  types  of  work  suggested  in  these  exercises  must 
be  determined  by  the  needs  of  the  class  as  revealed  in 
oral  and  written  expression. 

Teachers  should  make  sure  that  the  tests  and  drills 
are  aimed  straight  at  the  "  trouble  spots."  The  following 
outline  gives  the  most  important  objectives  in  these 
reviews. 

I.    Vocabulary  Work 
Overcoming  the  "Slang  Habit" 

It  is  difficult  to  determine  the  exact  progress  of  the 
pupil  here.  A  somewhat  satisfactory  estimate  of  his 
growth  may  be  made : 

1.  By  testing  his  ability  to  call  up  choice,  live,  usable 
words  that  meet  everyday  needs.     Use  here  the  directions 
and  questions  found  in  Exercise  84.   Increase  these  exercises 
also  if  necessary. 

2.  By  observing  the  playground  speech  and  ordinary  talk 
of  the  pupil.     Pupils  should  be  given  clearly  to   under- 
stand that  careless,  slovenly  language  will  count  against 
promotion. 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


II.   Enunciation  and  Pronunciation 

The  tests  and  drills  here  should  be  aimed  at  the 

following 

objectives  : 

i.     Overcoming 

"Jaw  Laziness" 

just 
can 

for 
nor 

was 
what 

window 
fellow 

get 
catch 

or 
from 

cause 
because 

yellow 
mellow 

shut 

on 

pause 

tallow 

2,     Overcoming  "Tongue  Tightness" 

this 
that 
these 
those 

with 
three 
throw 
thick 

swept 
wept 
kept 
crept 

honest 
finest 
kindness 
sweetness 

3.     Overcoming 

"Lip  Laziness" 

when 
while 
whip 
which 

where 
whether 
what 
whistle 

flip 
flit 
fling 
flew 

puff 
papa 
pickle 
pop 

4.     Cultivating  Resonance 

running 
going 
walking 
hopping 

ringing 
singing 
bringing 
whipping 

soon 
moon 
tune 
noon 

little 

brittle 
whittle 
settle 

5.     Overcoming  the  "Hurry  Habit" 

give  me. 
let  me. 
see  me. 

This  will  do. 
That  will  do. 
Those  will  do. 

Did  you? 
Could  you? 
Would  you? 

Let  her. 
Let  him. 
Let  them. 

SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  191 

The  " hurry  habit"  is  the  mother  of  many  of  the 
troubles  in  enunciation.  Pupils  should  be  trained  to 
"speak  the  speech  trippingly"  not  hurriedly  and 
nervously. 

The  following  sentences  from  sixth  grade  papers 
illustrate  typical  faults  in  punctuation: 

1.  When  we  were  riding  back  they  said  lets  have  a  race. 

2.  I  had  a  dime  and  wanted  to  ride  on  a  street  car  my 
brother  said  he  didn't  want  to  ride  and  I  was  too  little  to  go 
alone  but  I  went  alone 

3.  One  day  when  I  was  playing  in  the  road  I  heard  some 
body  saying  whoa  whoa,    and  I  looked  around  and  saw  a 
team  coming  right  my  way. 

4.  One  of  the  boys  in  fun  pointed  the  gun  at  the  other 
boy  the  trigger  caught  on  the  boys  suspender  and  the  gun 
went  off. 

5.  But  the  children  would  not  listen  one  day  a  boy  fell 
and  went  through  the  ice  and  was  saved  by  a  log  when  they 
pulled  him  out  he  was  most  frozen  he  was  taken  to  the  nearest 
house  and  means  of  respiration  was  used  and  he  was  saved. 

The  foregoing  sentences  came  from  pupils  who  have 
been  taught  and  retaught  the  rules  governing  the  use  of 
capitals,  periods,  quotation  marks,  and  apostrophes. 
Where  then  lies  the  trouble?  It  would  seem  to  be  right 
here.  The  pupils  were  not  made  to  feel  the  meaning  of 
the  rule.  It  did  not  carry  over  into  their  practice. 

In  drilling  on  these  rules,  the  teacher  should  make 
exercises  from  the  pupils'  own  papers  until  they  connect 
the  teaching  with  their  own  practice.  Let  them  help  find 
sentences  in  their  own  compositions  and  note  books  to 
illustrate  certain  rules.  Stimulate  self-effort  and  self- 
correction. 


iQ2 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

III.    Capital  Letters  and  Punctuation 

The  rules  given  in  Exercise  87  are  offered  as  "minimal 
essentials'*  for  promotion  from  the  sixth  grade. 

The  main  test  here  also  is  the  written  work  in  all 
classes. 

Special  drill  tests  on  any  and  all  rules  suggested  in 
Exercise  87  should  be  used  only  as  need  requires  to 
determine  the  pupil's  readiness  for  promotion  or  to 
reinforce  him  on  any  special  rule.  He  should  be  given  to 
understand  that  daily  practice  in  using  the  rules  counts 
most  towards  promotion. 

IV.    The  Paragraph 

The  ability  of  the  pupil  to  put  his  thoughts  into  cor- 
rectly arranged  paragraphs  is  also  the  chief  test  here. 

The  pupils  in  this  test  were  led  first  to  talk,  then  to 
write  about  "The  Cost  of  Carelessness."  (See  Section 
III,  page  321,  "The  Discovery  Lesson.") 

The  papers  were  taken  uncorrected  directly  from  the 
class,  graded  according  to  the  scale  represented  by  the 
samples  here  given.  There  were: 

2  A's;  10  B's;  18  C's;  7  D's;  5  E's. 

This  result  represents  a  little  better  than  the  average 
of  the  results  that  have  come  from  this  same  test  given 
the  country  over.  It  is  not,  however,  better  than  should 
be  expected  from  sixth  grade  pupils.  A  greater  per- 
centage of  A,  B,  and  C  papers  should  be  produced. 


SIXTH   GRADE  LANGUAGE  193 

Sixth  Grade  Compositions — Produced 
During  Test 


^<><a 

^ 
z, 

\&  J**f>fxmju^ 


The  above  composition  has  "A  grade"  spirit,  but  is  lacking  a  little 
in  mechanical  excellence.  It  should  be  graded  A  minus;  but  it  is  the 
best  all  round  composition  that  came  from  this  test. 


L 
rtJLs 


The  above  composition  is  clear  and  correct,  but  is  lacking  some- 
what in  spirit. 


194 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


JD 


i  i 

C*—  O~XX>"x"v_   C^^WXTV. 

_-X_X^—  «—  /   UJ-JkjLsv^  J  <~tsu~f  ~XZ4*UL^JL~ 

C  »     J  "T" 

A^L-f—  «xxi_  ^L^\^^\-^y^a 
v  c/o-i   JUks 


The  above  composition  is  lacking  somewhat  in  life  and  in  correct- 
ness. 


The  above  composition  is  clear,  but  full  of  mistakes. 


The  mechanical  errors  in  the  above  make  it  difficult  to  read.    It 
shows  an  immaturity  below  the  sixth  grade. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  195 

GENERAL  STUDY  ELEVEN— BEGINNINGS 
IN  GRAMMAR 

A  review  of  the  essentials  in  elementary  grammar  is 
made  the  basis  of  this  study.  It  will  serve  both  as  a 
summary  of  all  such  lessons  previously  given  and  as  a 
foundation  for  the  work  to  follow. 

Three  or  four  weeks  may  well  be  spent  on  this  study. 

First  Week.    Sentence  Studies  and  Parts  of  Speech 

1.  Kinds  of  sentences  according  to  use. 

2.  Subjects  and  predicates. 

3.  The  parts  of  speech. 

Definite  exercises  are  given  in  the  text  on  these 
phases  of  the  work.  Teachers  may  vitalize  these  lessons, 
and  increase  the  drills  to  the  extent  necessary  to  fix  them 
by  having  each  pupil : 

1 .  Clip  from  the  newspapers  a  brief  news  story  of  interest 
and  pick  out  the  verbs  in  the  article. 

2.  Bring  in  well  written  advertisements  which  show  an 
effective  use  of  adjectives. 

3.  Find  in  a  magazine  a  short  story  and  pick  out  the 
adverbs  or  the  conjunctions  or  the  prepositions. 

4.  Study  a  composition  of  his  own  and  tell  what  parts  of 
speech  and  what  kinds  of  sentences  it  contains. 

Second  Week.    Spelling  and  Using  Plural  and  Possessive 

Forms 

The  exercises  given  under  Exercise  92  give  definite 
guidance  for  two  or  three  days  of  good  review  and  testing 
work. 


ig6  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Supplement  these  studies,  if  time  permits,  by: 

1.  Having  the  pupils  write  a  list  of  fifty  or  more  common 
plural  forms  found  in  advertisements. 

2.  Having  them  bring  in,  from  papers  or  magazines,  ten 
or  more  sentences  wherein  singular  or  plural  possessives  are 
correctly  used. 

3.  Write  brief  compositions  on  simple  live  topics  wherein 
such  forms  might  be  used  frequently. 

Care  should  be  taken  in  this  drill  not  to  confound 
possessive  forms  with  plurals.  A  common  error  is  to 
write  such  forms  thus,  The  Ladle's  went  to  the  store; 
or,  Marys  hat  was  torn. 

To  overcome  this  it  is  well  not  to  drill  on  plural  and 
singular  and  possessive  forms  separately,  but  rather 
in  their  context.  For  illustration,  dictate  such  expres- 
sions as: 

John's  hat  Three  buffaloes 

The  soldier's  cap  .  Five  elk 

The  men's  coats  Ten  women 

The  hunter's  cabin  Eight  horses 

Third  Week.    The  Tables  of  Correct  Usage 
In  Exercises  93  and  94  are  offered  some  practical  sug- 
gestions and  drills  for  a  complete  review  of  the  "multi- 
plication table  of  language." 

The  sentences  there  given  include  most  of  the  com- 
mon trouble-makers  in  everyday  speech.  These  trouble- 
some forms  arranged  as  follows  in  groups  make  the 
Correct-Usage  Tables. 

Already  these  tables  have  been  taught  and  drilled 
upon  systematically  throughout  the  fourth,  fifth,  and 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 197 

sixth  grades.  The  purpose  in  re-presenting  them  here  is 
to  give  the  pupils  a  chance  to  check  up  and  re-drill  their 
tongues  on  any  type  forms  that  still  give  them  trouble. 

These  drills  may  be  carried  on  in  language  games,  in 
tongue-training  exercises,  or  in  written  tests.  The  essen- 
tial thing  to  work  for  here  is:  Find  the  "trouble  spots" 
and  try  to  get  the  pupils  to  clear  them  away  by  positive, 
spirited  self-effort. 

The  type  forms  that  give  most  trouble  and  the 
" trouble  spots"  among  these  forms  are  shown  in  the 
following  drill  tables.  The  arrangement  of  these  drill 
tables  is  more  or  less  arbitrary.  They  are  given  here  in 
their  order  of  presentation  through  the  intermediate 
grades.  Other  more  technical  forms  to  complete  the 
tables,  will  be  added  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grade 
work.  The  foregoing  forms  should  be  mastered  before 
the  pupil  is  promoted. 

Table  One.     Number  Forms 

Is,  are;  was,  were;  has,  have;  comes,  come;  go,  goes; 

this,  these;  that,  those. 

We  were  going.  Are  the  boys  going? 

Were  you  there?  Here  come  the  girls. 

Have  the  men  come?  There  go  the  soldiers. 

Table  Two.     Principal  Parts — Group  One 

Ring,  sing,  run,  begin,  drink,  bring,  spring. 
The  bell  rang  at  nine.  Has  the  bell  rung? 

She  sang  sweetly.  Has  the  chorus  sung  yet? 

The  boy  ran  home.  He  has  run  away. 

He  began  promptly.  They  have  begun  work. 


ig8  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

He  brought  the  paper.  Have  you  brought  the  water? 

The  deer  sprang  out  of  sight.       It  has  sprung  over  the  log. 
Drill  on  the  past  and  past  participial  forms  here. 

Table  Three.    Principal  Parts — Group  Two 

Throw,  blow,  fly,  grow,  know,  draw. 

He  threw  the  ball.  He   has    thrown    away    his 

The  wind  blew  down  houses.          chances. 
The  bird  flew  into  a  pine      It  has  blown  every  day. 

tree.  Have  the  birds  flown  south? 

I  knew  he  would  not  come.         How  long  have  you  known 
He  drew  a  clever  cartoon.  him? 

Have    you    ever    drawn    a 

cartoon? 
Drill  on  the  past  and  past  participial  forms  here. 

Table  Four.  Contractions 

I'm  not  going.  It  doesn't  matter. 

Am  I  not  wanted?  He  hasn't  come. 

Aren't  you  going?  They  haven't  called. 

She  isn't  coming.  I  don't  want  to  go. 

Table  Five.     Principal  Parts — Group  Three 

Do,  go,  see,  come. 
He  did  it,  she  did  it,  we  did  it. 
They  have  gone.     Has  he  gone? 
He  came  to-day.     We  came  yesterday. 
I  saw  you.   Have  you  seen  the  boys? 
Special  emphasis  should  be  placed  on  these  four  common 
mischief -making  verbs. 

Table  Six.     Transitive  and  Intransitive  Forms 

Lie,  lay;  sit,  set;  rise,  raise. 

Lie  down  and  keep  still.  "  Sit  down  "  he  ordered. 

He  lay  on  the  couch.  I  sat  still. 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  199 

He  has  lain  there  an  hour.  You  have  sat  long  enough. 

It  is  lying  on  the  chair.  He  was  sitting  in  the  arm 

Rise  and  follow  me.  chair. 

The  sun  rose  early.  Has  he  risen  yet? 

The  book  is  lying  on   the  The  moon  is  rising. 

desk.  I  lay  on  the  sofa  reading. 

He  is  sitting  on  the  porch.  I   have   sat   here   an   hour, 
He  rose  late.  waiting  for  you. 

Lie  down  and  take  a  nap.  The  sun  rises  at  six  to-mor- 
row. 

He  has  lain  down.  The  sun  had  risen. 


Table  Seven.     Principal  Parts — Group  Four 

Eat,  write,  take,  break,  bit,  drive,  ride,  steal,  freeze,  give, 

choose. 

He  ate  heartily.  Have  you  eaten  dinner? 

I  wrote  yesterday.  Have  you  written  to  mother? 

He  took  my  pencil.  He  has  taken  my  pencil. 

I  broke  the  pitcher.  He  has  broken  his  arm. 

The  cat  bit  the  baby.  It  has  bitten  him  twice. 

They  drove  recklessly.  Have  you  driven  a  horse? 

I  rode  the  pony.  Have  you  ridden  a  pony? 

He  stole  the  melon.  The    thief    has    stolen    my 

purse. 

It  froze  the  pipes.  The  pipes  are  frozen. 

I  gave  him  a  dime.  They  have  given  the  signal. 

I  chose  blue  silk.  Has  she  chosen  her  dress? 

The  past  participial  form  of  most  of  the  foregoing 
verbs  is  the  "trouble  spot."  Aim  the  drills  mainly  to 
train  pupils  to  use  that  form  correctly. 


200  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Table  Eight.     Needless  Words 

Have  got,  John  he,  this  here,  that  there,  hadn't  ought, 
kind  of  a. 

Have  you  a  knife?  This  apple  is  sour. 

Has  he  his  lesson?  That  train  is  late. 

I  have  to  go.  He  shouldn't  go. 

John  goes  to  school.  He  oughtn't  to  do  that. 

Mary  is  going  next  year.  That  kind  of  cloth  will  wear 

well. 

Table  Nine.  Adjectives  and  Adverbs 
Run  quickly.  It  was  terribly  hard. 

Step  quietly.  Surely  you  can  do  it. 

Walk  slowly.  He  does  his  work  well. 

The  proper  use  of  common  ly  forms  and  of  the  adverb 
well  should  be  aimed  at  in  this  table. 

Table  Ten.    Pronouns 
The  five  commonest  type  faults  are  dealt  with  here: 

1.  Predicate  Nominative:  It  is  he,  she,  we,  they. 

2.  Compound  subjects:  Mary  and  I  went.   John  and  he 
went.  He  and  I  went. 

3.  Appositive  subjects:   We  boys  did  it.    We  girls  went. 

4.  Elliptical  sentences:    He  is  no  better  than  we,  she, 
they. 

5.  Interrogatives:  Whom  did  you  see,  tell,  ask,  invite? 

Compound  and  appositive  expressions  used  accusa- 
tively take  accusative  forms  as:  They  saw  John  and  me. 
They  spoke  to  us  boys. 

Table  Eleven.     Prepositions  and  Conjunctions 
He  fell  into  the  creek.  It  fell  off  the  house. 

Divide  it  between  the  two.         Where  are  you  going? 


SIXTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 201 

It  was  among  the  trees.  It  is  behind  the  piano. 

I  will  not  go  unless  you  do.         Where  was  he? 
Is  he  at  home? 

To  clear  away  the  misuse  of  in  for  into,  between  for 
among,  without  for  unless,  to  for  at;  and  also  the  need- 
less use  of  prepositions;  as,  off  of,  or  off  from,  going  to, 
in  back  of,  Where  was  he  at?  and  other  similar  ex- 
pressions is  the  objective  of  this  drill  table. 

Table  Twelve.     Miscellaneous  Mischief-Makers 
The  sack  busted.  I  heard  him  say  so. 

They  brung  it  home.  It's  a  sorry  crop. 

He  drug  the  rope.  Leave  me  do  it. 

He  dumb  the  ladder.  He  hurt  hisself. 

He  can  go  (for  may  go).  It's  our'n,  your'n,  ther'n. 

In  this  " carry  all"  table,  the  various  common  vulgar- 
isms and  localisms  not  specifically  dealt  with  in  the  other 
tables  should  receive  attention. 

The  central  purpose  of  all  this  drill  work  should  be 
kept  clear:  Stimulate  in  pupils  a  proper  pride  in  correct 
usage,  and  help  them  to  help  themselves  clear  their 
tongues  of  the  common  errors  in  speech. 


LANGUAGE  AIMS  IN  THE  GRAMMAR  GRADES 

The  central  purpose  of  language  work  is  exactly  the 
same  for  the  grammar  grades  as  that  for  the  inter- 
mediate and  the  primary  grades.  To  train  the  pupil 
more  effectively  to  express  himself,  not  for  the  sake  of 
expression,  but  for  the  sake  of  service,  is  the  guiding 
thought  in  every  live  language  lesson. 

Some  distinctive  changes,  however,  in  materials  and 
in  method  rightly  mark  the  work  planned  for  the  seventh 
and  eighth  from  that  of  the  grades  below.  Pupils,  enter- 
ing this  period  are  ready  by  nature  and  by  training  for 
more  searching  studies  in  the  essentials  of  effective 
speech.  Such  studies  are  provided  for  them  in  the  live 
language  courses,  as  is  shown  in  the  following  summary  : 

1.  The  composition  work  is  still  connected  closely 
with  the  learner's  daily  life  interests.    Oral  and  written 
lessons  are  so  correlated  as  to  reinforce  each  other.   The 
emphasis  is  kept  on  oral  work,  but  written  composition 
is  given  steadily  increasing  attention. 

2.  The    composition    projects    are    enlarged    and 
enriched.    Such  worth-while  language  activities  as  the 
following    are    provided:     Studies    in    Story    Telling; 
Gathering  and  Preserving  Local  History  Stories;  Making 
Little  Lectures  on  Industrial  Subjects;  Creating  School 
Newspapers;  Giving  Travel  Talks;  Debating  on  Live 
Subjects;  Creating  Poems,  Stories,  and  Plays. 

202 


LANGUAGE  AIMS  IN  GRAMMAR  GRADES    203 

3.  Vocabulary    building    through     more    searching 
word  studies  is  carried  on.   A  definite  effort  is  made  to 
overcome  the  slang  habit  by  developing  a  command  of 
many  choice  and  effective  expressions  for  everyday  use. 

4.  Less  direct  attention  is  given  to  "The  Correct- 
Usage  Tables."  The  main  effort  now  is  definitely  directed 
towards  cultivating  a  " sentence  sense."    This  means 
that  pupils  shall  be  trained  to  say  one  thing  at  a  time. 
Each  sentence  carries  one  main  thought. 

To  develop  a  sure  " sentence  sense,"  means  to  culti- 
vate the  Five  Senses  in  Sentence  Building,  as  follows: 

a.  The  sense  of  unity.   Saying  one  thing  at  a  time. 

b.  The  sense  of  subordination.     Overcoming  the  "and" 
habit. 

c.  The  sense  of  discourse.   Using  quotations  effectively. 

d.  The  sense  of  emphasis.    Placing  parts  of  the  sentence 
rightly. 

e.  The  sense  of  modification.  Keeping  modifying  elements 
where  they  belong. 

5.  Definite  lessons  in  paragraph  structure  and  the 
organizing   of  longer,   well  rounded   compositions   are 
provided.    These  lessons  are  motivated  by  being  con- 
nected with  real  life  work. 

6.  A  systematic  study  of  the  essentials  of  grammar 
from  the  use  viewpoint  is  given. 

7.  The   spirit   of  authorship   is   cultivated   through 
studies  wherein  language  and  literature  are  properly 
blended,  and  also  through  creative  work  in  story  telling, 
writing  poems  and  plays,  and  making  descriptive  sketch 
books. 


204 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS         

8.  Fluency  with  accuracy  is  still  the  watchword. 
Spontaneous,  original  self-expression,  within  the  limits 
of  good  form  and  in  accordance  with  right  principles,  is 
the  objective  kept  constantly  in  view.  The  aim  is  to 
train  the  grammar-grade  pupil  to  use  speech  not  only 
with  ease  but  with  the  sureness  that  comes  from  a  clear 
knowledge  of  the  essentials  of  effective  language. 

The  foregoing  aim  achieved,  the  pupil  has  a  sure 
foundation  not  only  for  further  work  in  school,  but  if 
need  should  call  him  away  from  his  studies,  for  the  work 
of  life. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — THIRD  BOOK,  PART  ONE* 

The  work  for  this  grade  is  about  equally  divided 
between  two  types  of  lessons: 

1.  Socialized  studies  in  oral  and  written  composition. 

2.  Motivated  lessons  in  paragraph  and  sentence  building, 
correct-usage  drills,  punctuation,  and  enunciation  exercises, 
and  vocabulary  work. 

GENERAL  OUTLINE 

The  course  is  planned  in  eight  main  divisions,  arranged 
with  subdivisions  as  follows: 

i.     Stories  and  Story  Telling  (September) 

a.  Introductory  studies  on  language  and  story  telling. 

b.  A  story  hour  on  "Old  Time  Tales.'* 

c.  Stories  of  our  country  retold  and  rewritten. 

d.  Studying  stories  from  master  writers. 

e.  Original  stories  from  everyday  experience. 

2.     How  to  Tell  a  Story  (October) 

a.  Finding  the  story:   (Choosing  apt  titles). 

b.  Making  the  story  move.    (Overcoming  "and"  habit 
and  like  faults.) 

c.  Finding  life-giving  expressions. 

d.  Using  quotations  effectively. 

e.  Keeping  indirect  quotations  clear. 

f.  Practical  studies  in  paragraph  building. 
*Also  Advanced  Book,  Part  II. 

205 


206  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

3.    Local  History  Stories,  Sketches,  and  Plays  (November) 

a.  Gathering  Grandfather  and  Grandmother  stories  of 
early  days. 

b.  Writing  biographies  of  parents  and  other  local  people. 

c.  Writing  autobiographies  and  diaries. 

d.  Historical  sketches  of  the  local  community. 

e.  Creating  historical  plays  and  pageants. 

4.     Creating  Sketch  Books  (December) 

a.  Studies  in  word-painting  by  artist-writers. 

b.  Original  descriptions  of  local  and  other  scenes. 

c.  Making  word  pictures  of  persons. 

d.  Finding  choice,  descriptive  words. 

e.  Studying  picturesque  comparisons. 

5.     Practical  Studies  in  Sentence  Structure  (January) 

a.  Sentences  according  to  form  and  use. 

b.  Applied  study  of  simple  sentences. 

c.  Applied  study  of  compound  sentences. 

d.  Applied  study  of  complex  sentences. 

e.  Practical  exercises  in  sentence  building. 

f.  Practical  studies  in  sentence  clearness. 

g.  Punctuation  of  sentences. 

6.     Homes  and  Home  Making  (February) 

a.  Descriptions  of  picturesque  homes. 

b.  Practical  talks  on  home  work. 

c.  Compositions  on  cooks  and  cooking. 

d.  Little  lectures  on  food  production. 

e.  Studies  in  home  entertainment. 

f .  Talks  on  books  for  home  library. 

g.  Creating  plays  for  the  home. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 207 

7.     Words  and  Their  Ways  (March) 

a.  Confidential  talks  on  the  "  slang  habit." 

b.  Exercises  aimed  at  overcoming  the  "slang  habit." 

c.  Studies  in  word  accuracy. 

d.  Correct-usage  lessons  and  drills. 

e.  Getting  the  "dictionary  habit." 

8.     The  Poet  and  His  Art  (April) 

a.  Old  tales  of  the  first  poet. 

b.  Studies  in  the  poet's  art. 

c.  Sound  and  sense  in  words. 

d.  Exercises  in  enunciation. 

e.  Voicing  literature.    (A  literary  recital.) 

f.  Simple  studies  in  verse  forms. 

g.  Creating  original  verse. 

9.     Review  (May) 
General  Suggestions 

A  maximum  course  in  the  Third  Book  includes  all 
exercises  from  i  to  99.  For  a  minimum  course,  where 
such  must  be  given,  as  in  short-term  and  ungraded 
schools,  the  following  exercises  may  be  omitted:  4,  5, 
17,  25,  29,  33,  36,  49,  57,  58,  69,  74,  78,  92,  94,  96,  99. 
The  course  given  in  the  Advanced  Book  is  a  minimum 
course. 

The  emphasis  is  given  to  oral  expression.  Written 
work,  however,  receives  increased  attention.  These  two 
types  of  composition  are  closely  correlated  throughout 
the  course. 

Observe  that  the  composition  projects  connect  with 
literature,  history,  nature  study,  geography,  and  the 


208  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

industrial,  thrift,  health,  and  social  studies.  The  course 
is  purposely  left  flexible  to  admit  various  subjects  of 
vital  current  interest. 

Special  Aims  for  the  Seventh  Grade 
In  addition  to  the  practical  work  in  composition  with 
its  accompanying  general  needs,  the  effort  in  the  seventh 
grade  should  be  specially  directed  towards: 

1.  Cultivating  a  sure  "sentence  sense." 

2.  Overcoming  the  "slang  habit." 

In  working  for  a  "sentence  sense,"  definite  attention 
should  be  given  to  training  the  pupil  in  the  following 
phases  of  that  work: 

a.  A  sense  of  unity.    (Saying  one  thing  at  a  time.) 

b.  A  sense  of  subordination.    (Overcoming  the  "and" 
habit.) 

c.  A  sense  of  quotation.   (Using  direct  and  indirect  quo- 
tations effectively.) 

The  sense  of  modification  and  that  of  emphasis  may 
receive  some  attention  also;  but  special  work  on  these 
will  be  given  later. 

In  the  fight  against  slang,  the  effort  should  be  made 

(1)  to  create  a  proper  pride  in  clean    language;   and 

(2)  to  build  a  choice,  live  vocabulary. 

The  lessons  on  sentence  building  and  on  vocabulary 
work  should  be  connected  constantly  with  real  life 
lessons. 

A  "sentence  sense "  can  best  be  gained  by  studying  the 
sentence  in  its  relation  to  paragraph  building.  These 
paragraphs  should  express,  for  the  most  part,  the  pupil's 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  209 

own  thought.  Model  sentences  and  paragraphs  should 
be  studied  occasionally,  but  always  with  the  view  to 
helping  pupils  build  better  sentences  and  paragraphs  of 
their  own. 

The  effort  to  find  choice  words  will  also  bring  best 
results  when  the  pupil  is  led  to  feel  the  need  for  such 
words  in  his  own  expression.' 

In  a  word,  all  of  this  work  should  be,  not  formalized 
but  vitalized. 

THE  OPENING  STUDY.     CHANNELS  OF 
EXPRESSION 

In  the  "Parable  of  the  Mountain  Spring"  given  at 
the  beginning  of  this  study,  will  be  found  the  spirit  and 
meaning  of  the  whole  language  course.  The  beginning 
junior  high  school  or  seventh  grade  pupil  is  here  taken 
into  confidence  and  led  to  discover  the  general  value  of 
language  skill  in  his  life. 

Let  the  parable  be  read  and  discussed  freely.  Its 
inner  meaning  may  be  readily  brought  forth  by  the 
pupils.  The  lesson  should  not  be  preached  at  the  class. 

Enrich  the  discussion  by  having  the  pupils  give  defi- 
nite reasons  showing  how  language  helps  in  every  walk  of 
life.  Let  each  write  a  paragraph  or  two  on  such  topics 
as: 

The   dollar    value   of   good  Business  letters  that  bring 

speech.  business. 

Good  language  and  citizen-  The  riches  of  conversation. 

ship.  How  language  helps  in  other 
Courteous  speech  and  friend-  studies. 

ship.  Language  and  examinations. 


210  LIVE  LANGUAGE   LESSONS 

Clean    language    and    clean      Language  or  " slanguage." 

clothes. 
Clear  speech  and  clear  thought. 

Many  other  topics  that  suggest  the  center  of  the 
thought  to  be  impressed  can  be  developed  here. 

Excellent  slogans  to  promote  effective  language  may 
be  developed  from  this  lesson. 

It  will  be  well  also  to  have  the  pupils  gather  from 
business  and  professional  men  ideas  on  the  value  of  a 
command  of  language. 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE  — STORIES  AND 
STORY   TELLING 

Story  telling  is  given  as  the  opening  study  for  this 
grade  because: 

1 .  It  is  a  flexible  study  of  common  and  compelling  interest. 

2.  It  correlates  closely  with  literature,  history,  and  other 
subjects. 

3.  It  embodies  various  types  of  composition  work. 

To  prepare  for  the  study,  the  school  library  should  be 
drawn  upon  for  choice  story  books  and  stories.  Pupils 
may  be  asked  to  bring  choice  books  from  their  home 
libraries.  Pictures  illustrative  of  classic  stories,  and 
portraits  of  noted  story  writers  will  add  much  to  the 
spirit  of  the  work. 

The  main  objective  in  this  study  is  to  develop  skill  in 
story  telling.  In  doing  this  a  love  for  choice  stories  will 
be  cultivated. 

Stimulate  originality  in  choice  and  style.  A  story  can 
be  well  told  only  when  the  teller  really  enjoys  telling  it. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  211 

He  should  be  given  a  chance  to  find  the  story  he  likes, 
and  then  to  tell  it  freely  in  the  spirit  as  he  feels  it.  A 
rich  selection  of  story  titles  is  offered.  Add  to  these  other 
choice  ones,  if  necessary. 

Three  or  four  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  the  work 
which  is  planned  in  general  as  follows: 

First  Week.    Introductory  Studies  and  Old-Time  Tales 

This  study  offers  opportunity  for  a  refreshing  review  of 
classic  stories. 

Let  each  pupil  choose  the  tale  that  has  charmed  him 
most  in  childhood.  Re-read  and  practice  telling  it  before 
little  folk  at  home  or  on  the  playground.  When  the 
stories  are  ready,  have  A  Story  Hour. 

The  size  of  the  class  will  determine  the  method  of 
giving  these  story  hours.  If  the  class  is  large,  it  may  be 
divided  into  various  groups  to  multiply  the  opportunity 
for  oral  practice. 

Several  story  hours,  one  dealing  with  Fairy  Tales, 
another  with  Fables,  another  with  Myths,  another  with 
Historical  Tales  from  other  lands,  may  be  given,  if  time 
permits.  Some  of  the  choice  stories  that  lend  themselves 
to  easy  dramatization  may  be  played. 

Second  Week.    Historical  Tales 

A  main  objective  here  is  to  cultivate  the  spirit  of 
patriotism.  Stories  from  our  own  country  and  those 
from  other  lands  that  breathe  a  love  of  country  should 
be  given  place. 

The  emphasis  in  this  study  may  well  be  given  to 
written  work.  To  stimulate  greater  interest,  let  each 


212  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

pupil  select  a  story  from  a  given  group  and  develop  it  as 
part,  of  a  cycle  of  choice  stories  expressive  of  true 
Americanism. 

Add  to  the  story  list  given  in  Exercise  3  any  more 
recent  hero  stories  that  have  come  out  of  the  world  war; 
as,  The  Lost  Battalion,  Sergeant  York,  and  stories  of 
other  heroes. 

Third  Week.    Stories  from  the  Masters 

Language  and  literature  may  be  closely  correlated 
here. 

The  stories  given  are  those  that  every  seventh  grade 
pupil  should  know.  Opportunity  is  offered  now  to  check 
up  the  pupils'  literary  studies  and  reading,  and  to  round 
it  out  by  retelling  familiar  tales  and  reading  new  ones. 

Other  stories  than  those  given  should  be  added  by  the 
teacher.  Again  pupils  should  be  permitted  to  select  tales 
they  wish  to  retell. 

Fourth  Week.    Everyday  Stories 

The  chance  is  here  given  to  exchange  real  experiences, 
and  to  .  create  attractive  original  stories  for  others  to 
enjoy. 

The  story  studies  from  Franklin  and  Irving  illustrate 
clearly  how  common  incidents  of  life  may  be  worked  over 
into  literary  tales. 

Fluency  with  accuracy  is  the  watchword.  Keep  the 
story  alive  and  keep  it  clear.  Watch  the  forms  of  speech, 
but  give  the  spirit  of  the  story  first  attention  always. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 213 

GENERAL   STUDY  TWO— HOW  TO  TELL 
A  STORY 

This  study  makes  clear  some  of  the  simple  principles 
that  underlie  the  art  of  story  telling. 

Out  of  the  study  should  come  motivated  lessons  and 
drills  to  help  the  learner: 

1.  Acquire  a  surer  " sentence  sense." 

2.  Enrich  his  vocabulary  with  choice,  live  words. 

3.  Build  unified,  well  organized  paragraphs. 

Three  weeks  or  more  may  be  spent  in  working  for 
these  important  results.  The  following  is  a  general  plan 
of  action  with  practical  suggestions  to  guide  teachers  in 
promoting  this  work. 

First  Week.    Story  Titles  and  Story  Movement 

Choosing  Titles.  Choosing  titles  is  an  exercise  of 
deeper  significance  than  it  may  seem  at  first  thought. 
To  find  the  fitting  title  is  to  find  the  heart  of  the  story. 
Pupils  need  practice  in  discovering  stories  worth  telling, 
not  only  in  their  own  lives  and  in  other  lives,  but  in 
books  and  in  newspapers  and  magazines. 

The  effort  should  be  to  get  the  true  title  and  to  keep 
the  tale  true  to  its  title. 

The  exercises  suggested  in  the  text  may  readily  be 
increased.  The  pupils  will  enjoy  a  socialized  study  of 
moving  picture  titles  and  news  story  headlines  from  the 
viewpoint  just  given.  It  will  be  of  practical  value  to 
help  them  to  distinguish  between  the  flashy  and  false 
titles  that  mislead  people,  and  those  that  are  true. 


214  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Story  Movement.  Making  the  story  move  gives 
motivated  practice  and  study  in  sentence  building. 
Pupils  need  in  language,  above  all  else,  ability  to  take 
one  sentence  step  at  a  time  and  to  take  it  towards  a 
given  objective.  Here  are  inviting  exercises  aimed  at 
cultivating  such  skill.  The  lessons  include: 

1.  The  study  of  well  built,  simple  stories  that  move  with 
steady  steps. 

2.  Practice  in  building  original  stories  with  this  definite 
suggestion  in  mind:    Make  every  sentence  carry  your  story 
forward. 

3.  Exercises  to  overcome  the  "and,"   "ur,"  "why-u," 
"well-a"  and  other  " halting  habits." 

Special  attention  should  here  be  given  to  overcoming 
the  "and"  habit.  Attention  has  been  given  to  it  in 
previous  lessons. 

By  this  time  the  "and"  habit  should  be  largely,  if 
not  entirely,  mastered.  The  "and"  habit  is  the  coordi- 
nating habit.  It  represents  the  first  step  up  from  the 
simple  sentences  of  babyhood.  Children  talk  first  with 
simple  words,  then  they  make  simple  phrases  or  sen- 
tences. When  they  begin  to  use  conjunctions  they  almost 
always  use  "and." 

Some  teachers  in  trying  to  overcome  the  "and"  habit 
teach  pupils  to  "leave  out  the  'ands. J!  This  is  not 
right.  "And"  at  times  is  just  the  conjunction  to  use. 
Pupils  should  rather  be  taught  when  "and"  is  properly, 
when  improperly,  used. 

"And"  is  properly  used  when  it  connects  words  or 
groups  of  words  of  equal  rank  within  a  given  sentence. 
The  word  "and"  may  be  said  to  be  like  the  arithmetical 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  215 

sign  = .  For  illustration  take  the  sentence,  I  went  down 
the  street  and  over  the  bridge.  And  here  is  properly 
used  since  the  phrase  down  the  street  =  over  the  bridge, 
in  grammatical  importance. 

But  what  about  the  use  of  and  in  the  following  typical 
sentence  from  a  grade  pupil,  I  was  running  down  the 
street  and  I  stumbled  and  fell.  As  the  sentence  is  con- 
structed, I  was  running  down  the  street  equals  in  gram- 
matical importance,  I  stumbled  and  fell. 

Is  the  first  and  properly  used?  How  shall  it  be  cor- 
rected? The  sentence  may  be  rebuilt  in  several  ways: 

1.  As  I  was  running  down  the  street,  I  stumbled  and  fell. 

2.  While  running  down  the  street,  I  stumbled  and  fell. 

3.  Running  down  the  street,  I  stumbled  and  fell. 

In  overcoming  the  "and"  habit  the  "sense  of  sub- 
ordination" in  sentence  building  is  cultivated. 

The  exercises  suggested  in  the  text  under  story  move- 
ment should  be  enriched  by  gathering  from  the  pupils' 
stories  sentences  that  illustrate  the  "and"  habit.  Each 
set  of  papers  will  probably  contain  many  such  sentences. 

Write  several  of  these  on  a  sheet  of  paper.  Tear  the 
paper  into  slips,  each  slip  containing  a  sentence,  and 
have  these  sentences  copied  on  the  board  for  class  study 
and  correction.  An  occasional  exercise  of  this  kind  will 
do  much  to  eliminate  the  "  and  "  habit  from  written  work. 

To  rid  oral  work  of  the  "and"  habit  is  more  difficult. 
Tactful  help  while  the  student  is  building  oral  sentences 
in  simple  story  telling,  will  assist  him  greatly.  Let  him  be 
taken  into  confidence  and  set  working  against  the  habit 
intelligently  and  right  results  will  come  in  time. 


2i6  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Second  Week.  Making  the  Story  Lifelike 
Choice  of  Words.  The  guiding  thought  here  is  to 
fight  the  " slang  habit"  not  by  prohibition  but  by  sub- 
stitution. Life-giving,  expressive  words  the  pupil  must 
have.  If  he  is  not  helped  rightly  to  find  them,  he  is 
most  likely  to  leap  to  slang. 

A  study  of  selections  from  Mark  Twain  and  Washing- 
ton Irving  is  offered.  How  do  these  and  other  effective 
writers  put  life  into  their  language  without  using  slang? 
Chiefly  in  two  ways : 

1.  By  turning  old  words   to   new   uses;   as,   "burning 
desire;"  "the  contrary  foot." 

2.  By  using  effective  idioms;  as,  "to  streak  by,"  "dead 
level,"  "came  to  a  stand,"  "gathered  up." 

This  study  of  author's  life-giving  expressions  may  be 
enriched  in  various  ways  if  necessary.  The  most  effective 
means,  however,  of  stimulating  a  pride  and  of  cultivating 
skill  to  find  choice,  alive  expressions  will  be  found  in 
leading  the  pupils  to  create  word  pictures  of  their  own. 
The  blank-filling  work  in  Exercise  12  offers  an  excellent 
way  to  do  this.  The  pupils  own  stories  may  also  be 
restudiedv  and  improved  from  the  diction  viewpoint. 

Conversation  in  Stories.  The  following  instance 
shows  clearly  the  importance  of  cultivating  a  "quotation 
sense"  in  pupils: 

Out  of  315  story  compositions  taken  from  sixth  grade 
pupils  in  twelve  states  only  three  were  found  wherein 
quotations  were  used  both  correctly  and  intelligently. 

Why   teach   quotations?     Mainly   for   two   reasons: 

(1)  to  help  the  pupils  put  life  into   their  stories;  and 

(2)  to  help  them  keep  the  quotations  clear. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 217 

The  quotation  is  most  frequently  found  in  stories. 
For  this  reason,  a  study  of  this  type  of  sentence  may  be 
given  meaning  and  motivation  best  in  connection  with 
real  story  telling.  The  exercises  suggested  are  so  clear 
and  definite  as  to  need  no  further  explanation.  They 
may  readily  be  increased.  Excellent  practice  in  using 
quotations  will  be  found  not  only  in  fables,  but  in 
retelling  jokes. 

Plan  here  A  Funny  Story  Hour.  Let  the  pupils 
write  their  stories  and  submit  them  to  the  teacher  for 
correction.  Here  is  opportunity  for  good  practice  in  using 
quotations  and  for  the  much  needed  cultivation  of  a 
sense  of  humor. 

Third  Week.    Paragraph  Building 

A  study  of  the  narrative  and  of  the  conversational 
paragraph  is  here  emphasized.  Two  points  are  kept 
clear: 

1.  The  paragraph  should  have  unity. 

2.  Paragraphs  should  be  naturally  and  closely  connected. 

Prose  stories  from  the  readers,  and  well  built  stories 
from  other  books,  should  be  used  to  enrich  the  work. 
Constructing  paragraphs  around  simple  close-to-life 
topics  such  as  those  given  in  Exercise  21  will  also  prove 
most  helpful  in  driving  home  the  main  point  in  the  study. 

The  teacher  should  remember  that  the  foregoing  plan 
is  only  suggestive.  The  time  divisions  given  are  flexible. 
If  more  or  fewer  lessons  are  needed  on  any  phase  of  the 
work,  they  should  be  given.  Three  or  Four  weeks  may 
well  be  spent  on  the  study. 


218  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

GENERAL  STUDY  THREE- 
PIONEER  HISTORY  STORIES  AND  SKETCHES 

This  project  brings  language  and  history  into  close 
correlation.  It  offers  an  inviting  opportunity  for  the 
pupils : 

1.  To  give  real  service  to  their  community  by  helping  to 
gather  and  preserve  its  local  history. 

2.  To  learn  the  choice  stories  of  their  parents,  grand- 
parents, and  other  people  close  to  their  lives. 

3.  To  get  excellent  practice  in  telling  and  writing  real 
life  stories. 

November  is  a  good  time  to  give  to  this  work.  Dur- 
ing this  Thanksgiving  month,  the  fireside  story  spirit  is 
strong.  Americans  at  that  time  naturally  think  of  the 
Pioneers  and  Pilgrims.  Any  month,  however,  may  well 
be  spent  working  out  this  worthy  project. 

Three  things  may  be  done  to  add  zest  to  the  study: 

1.  Make  a  relic  corner  in  the  classroom. 

2.  Decorate  the  walls  with  appropriate  pictures. 

3.  Gather  books  and  other  reading  material  on  pioneer 
life. 

The  main  objective  should  be  kept  clear.  Lead  the 
pupils  to  appreciate  the  local  history  stories  and  help 
them  to  tell  them  well. 

The  following  type  of  work,  suggested  in  the  text,  may 
be  taken  up  in  the  order  given.  Several  lessons  in  oral 
and  in  written  expression  will  be  needed  to  develop 
properly  each  type  of  work. 

Grandfather  and  Grandmother  Tales.  This  general 
subject  is  flexible.  It  means  old  folk  stories  and  other 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


219 


experiences.  The  purpose  is  to  give  the  pupils  oppor- 
tunity to  find  and  to  give  first  in  oral  form,  then  in 
written  form,  one  or  more  choice  original  stories  close  to 
their  lives. 

Story-books  may  be  produced  containing  any  of  the 
following  groups  of  tales  or  others  like  them:  Indian 
Tales;  Pioneer  Stories;  Soldier  Stories;  Emigrant  Experi- 
ences; Old  Relic  Tales. 

The  nature  of  the  community  must  determine  the 
special  nature  of  the  stories.  The  following  is  a  story 
produced  and  illustrated  by  pupils  of  a  certain  seventh 
grade.  It  illustrates  what  may  be  done  with  this 
project. 

COMING  OF  THE  PIONEERS 

One  day  in  October  a  train  of  covered  wagons  came  winding  like 
long  yellow  caterpillars  through  the  Pine  ridge.  They  slid  down  the 
last  ridge,  forded  a  stream  and  halted  in  the  valley  where  Chadron  now 
nestles.  That  night  the  fires  of  this  camp  marked  the  site  of  a  great 
town  and  the  men  and  women  who  slept  there  were  literally  the  "  First 
Citizens"  of  that  place.  For  many  years  afterwards  it  retained  the 
original  smell  of  axle  grease,  apples  and  the  fermented  juice  of  the  corn. 


Coming  of  The  Pioneers 

These  rolling  plains  were  not  going  to  lie  un-occupied  long  for 
thousands  of  pioneers  came  to  Nebraska  to  seek  great  fortunes  when 
the  Homestake  mines  were  opened.  To  reach  these  mines  the  caravans 
followed  trails  across  the  state.  One  known  as  the  Sidney  trail  followed 
the  Platte  river  to  Sidney,  then  north  to  the  Black  Hills.  The  other 


220  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

went  from  Omaha,  following  the  Elkhorn  river  to  about  where  Chadron 
now  stands.  Here  it  turned  north  to  the  Black  Hills.  This  is  known  as 
the  Black  Hills  trail. 

The  pioneers  endured  many  hardships,  as  fighting  the  Indians,  suffer- 
ing cold  and  needing  supplies  which  had  to  be  freighted  many  miles. 
The  Indians  were  their  worst  enemy.  They  did  not  like  to  see  the 
pioneers  coming  and  taking  their  land,  which  they  had  owned  so  long 
for  hunting  grounds. 

When  first  arriving  at  their  destination  the  eye  of  the  pioneer  beheld 
the  forests  and  hills.  The  men  began  right  away  to  get  their  cabins  built 
before  it  snowed.  In  the  meantime  they  slept  in  schooners  until  their 
cabins  were  built.  While  the  men  were  busy  cutting  the  trees  and 
clearing  a  spot  the  women  and  children  were  making  rude  furniture  for 
their  cabins. 

On  rainy  days  the  children  would  gather  together  and  have  great 
sport  making  pegs,  which  were  used  as  nails.  Their  game  was  to  see 
which  one  got  the  most  pegs  made. 

At  first  there  was  no  school  buildings  but  a  teacher  went  from  house 
to  house  and  taught  the  children  lessons.  But  there  was  a  dissatisfaction 
among  the  people  so  they  started  schools. 

Naturally  little  towns  flourish.  Among  them  was  Chadron.  In 
nineteen  hundred  you  could  not  have  seen  a  trace  of  the  little  backwoods 
town  any  more.  Chadron  is  now  a  great  center  connected  with  all  her 
neighboring  towns. 

— Jeannette  Landis. 

Real  Letter  Writing  lessons  may  be  readily  planned  as 
a  part  of  the  written  work  connected  with  this  project 
by  having: 

a.  The  pupils  write  to  grandparents  or  other  old  friends 
living  in  other  places  for  some  good  story  of  their  lives. 

b.  An  exchange  of  pioneer  stories   between   classes  in 
different  communities. 

Each  pupil  should  write  a  letter  containing  a  good 
story  he  has  found,  and  ask  the  pupil  to  whom  he  writes 
for  a  similar  first-hand  story. 

Biographies,  Autobiographies,  Diaries.  This  project, 
touching  in  a  personal  way  the  lives  of  every  pupil, 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  221 

makes  an  excellently  motivated  kind  of  language  work. 
The  writing  of  biographies  of  parents  and  of  other  close 
friends  turns  the  hearts  of  the  children  to  their  parents 
and  to  others  near  to  their  lives.  This  work  has  already 
brought  splendid  returns.  Several  such  biographies, 
carefully  written  and  illustrated  with  sketches  and 
photographs,  are  now  treasured  volumes  in  the  home 
libraries  of  the  pupils.  The  keeping  of  accurate  family 
records  has  also  been  greatly  stimulated  by  this  work. 
Writing  autobiographies  and  keeping  diaries  has  also 
great  value  in  stimulating  personal  record  keeping  and 
the  observation  of  everyday  activities  in  their  relation  to 
life. 

In  promoting  these  general  and  worthy  objects,  how- 
ever, the  teachers  should  keep  clearly  in  view  the 
language  purposes  of  the  work.  Special  attention  should 
be  given  constantly  to : 

a.  Developing  skill  in  paragraph  building. 

b.  Cultivating  a  sure  sentence  sense. 

c.  Building  a  choice  live  vocabulary. 

In  dealing  with  the  pupils'  talks  and  papers,  let  the 
corrective  efforts  be  directed  persistently  against  the 
"and"  habit  and  " slovenly  slang."  Strive  also  to 
develop  skill  to  use  quotations,  direct  and  indirect, 
clearly  and  effectively. 

History  of  Home  Town  or  City.  The  possibilities  in 
this  project  are  rich  and  varied.  There  is  no  lack  of 
material.  The  chief  difficulty  usually  met  is  in  selecting 
the  main  line  the  work  shall  follow. 


222 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Several  types  of  work  have  been  carried  out  in  different 
places  with  striking  success.  In  one  town  near  an  Indian 
reservation,  for  instance,  the  pupils,  after  gathering  the 
folk  tales  of  the  community,  worked  out  a  play  and  gave 
it  on  two  successive  evenings  before  a  delighted  populace. 
In  another  town,  a  mining  camp,  the  pupils  gathered  the 
early  history  tales,  and  for  several  issues  filled  the  local 
paper  with  these.  The  editor  gladly  gave  them  generous 
space. 

Another  project  was  worked  out  by  the  children  of  the 
seventh  grade  in  the  form  of  a  play.  The  following  is  the 
result  in  part,  with  a  few  words  from  the  teacher  telling 
how  the  play  was  created: 

First,  before  we  began  the  work  of  writing  the  play,  I  had  the  pupils 
look  up  the  history  of  the  first  white  men  on  Iowa  soil  and  of  the  earliest 
settlers.  They  brought  to  class  and  discussed  everything  relating  to 
these  subjects  which  our  libraries  afforded.  Then  I  went  before  the  class 
at  their  regular  language  period  and  discussed  with  them  the  mechanics 
of  play  writing,  particularly  for  the  first  scene,  such  as,  the  choice  of 
characters;  the  time,  place,  and  scene;  the  careful  selection  of  the  word- 
ing in  the  beginning,  that  the  first  scene  might  not  only  properly  charac- 
terize the  characters  speaking  but  give  the  proper  atmosphere  as  well. 

Next  I  wrote  on  the  board,  as  the  pupils  dictated,  the  speech  of  the 
various  characters  in  the  scene.  Marquette  should  speak  first  in  the 
first  scene  since  he  was  leader  of  the  party.  What  should  he  say?  What 
would  he  naturally  say?  Perhaps  a  dozen  pupils  expressed  their  opinion. 
The  decision  as  to  the  best  thing  to  say  was  always  made  by  the  pupils 
after  hearing  the  discussion.  Then  the  speech  in  question  was  written  on 
the  board  and  corrected  again,  if  need  be,  as  to  sentence  structure,  choice 
of  words,  spelling,  and  grammar. 

Perhaps  we  did  not  cover  much  ground  in  one  lesson  but  the  keen 
characterization,  the  close  criticism,  the  careful  choice  of  wording,  the 
intense  interest  of  the  boys  and  girls,  and  their  eagerness  to  make  their 
work  perfect,  was  sufficient  compensation  for  going  slowly. 

Three  plays  were  produced.  I  am  very  sure  that  children  of  any 
grade  may  be  quickly  placed  on  higher  language  levels  than  they  have 
ever  before  dreamed  of  by  the  teacher's  careful  selection  of  subjects  for 
this  kind  of  work. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  223 

PIONEER  IOWA 

Characters.    Marquette,  Joliet,  and  five  followers. 
Time.    June  25,  1673. 

Scene.     Landing  of  Marquette  and  Joliet  on  Iowa  soil. 
Place.    Near  where  Keokuk  is  now  located. 

ACT  I.    SCENE  I 
Marquette:    What  a  beautiful  scene!    We  are  alone  in  this  unknown 

country  in  the  hands  of  God. 
Joliet:  There  are  signs  of  abundance  of  wild  game  here.   Our  fur  trade 

will  surely  prosper  in  this  region. 
First  Follower:  Shall  we  find  a  place  to  pitch  our  tents?  How  would  you 

like  to  have  our*tent  in  the  grove  at  our  right? 
Marquette:   That  would  be  a  splendid  place.    Let  us  walk  over  there. 

What!    A  footprint  in  the  sand!    There  must  be  Indians  here! 

Two  of  you  go  back  and  guard  the  boat.  The  rest  pitch  our  tents 

in  the  grove.   Joliet,  let  us  follow  these  footprints  and  find  where 

the  Indians  are  located.    (Exit  followers.    Marquette  and  Joliet 

follow  footprints.   Exit  Marquette  and  Joliet.) 

ACT  I.    SCENE  II 
(Enter  M.  and  J.  at  right.     Indian  village  on  the  left.) 

Marquette:  Look,  Joliet!  Are  there  not  signs  of  Indians  in  that  grove? 
And  see,  this  seems  to  be  a  well  beaten  path  now! 

Joliet:  We  must  be  cautious.  They  may  see  us. 

Marquette:  Shall  we  hide  in  the  bushes  here  until  we  are  able  to  deter- 
mine what  kind  of  Indians  they  are? 

Joliet:  Look!  They  see  us!  They  are  coming  this  way! 

(All  the  Indians  flock  out  of  their  tents.  The  chief  and  three 
braves,  holding  a  peace  pipe  high  toward  the  sun  to  show  they  are 
friendly,  come  out  to  meet  the  strangers.  Marquette  and  Joliet  step 
forward  to  meet  them.  The  chief  holding  the  peace  pipe  makes  the 
sign  of  the  cross  by  moving  the  pipe  north,  south,  east  and  west. 
The  Indians  offer  the  peace  pipe  to  Marquette  and  Joliet.  Mar- 
quette and  Joliet  take  the  peace  pipe.} 

First  Chief:  Indian  welcome  Black  Gown  Chief. 

Marquette:  O,  you  belong  to  the  Illinois  tribe. 

Chief:  Black  Gown  Chief  talk  Illinois? 

Marquette:  Yes,  I  live  with  Indians.  I  talk  to  Indians  about  Great 
Spirit.  Black  Gown  Chief  talk  like  Indians  talk.  We  be  good 
friends  of  Illinois  Indians.  I  talk  to  you  about  Great  Spirit. 

Chief:  I  thank  the  Black  Gown  Chief  for  taking  so  much  pains  to  come 
and  see  us.  Never  before  has  the  earth  been  so  beautiful  nor  the 
sun  so  bright  as  now.  Never  has  the  river  been  so  calm  and  free 
from  rocks  which  your  canoes  have  removed  as  they  passed 


224  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

down.  Never  before  has  the  tobacco  had  so  fine  a  flavor,  nor  our 
corn  appeared  so  beautiful  as  we  behold  it  to  day.  Ask  the  Great 
Spirit  to  give  us  life  and  health  and  come  and  dwell  with  us. 

(The  Indian  Chief  leads  the  way  to  the  Indian  village  where  the 
squaws  have  been  preparing  a  feast.  Other  braves  join  them  in  front 
of  the  tent.  The  Indians  and  their  guests  sit  in  a  circle  on  the  ground. 
Indian  children  play  about  and  look  wistfully  at  the  progress  of  the 
feast.  The  squaws  serve  corn  mush.  The  chief  takes  a  long  handled 
spoon  from  the  bowl  and  offers  a  spoonful  of  mush  to  each  one  in  turn. 
Fish  on  a  wooden  platter.  The  chief  takes  the  fish  on  a  big  fork, 
removes  the  bones,  and  puts  a  portion  into  the  mouth  of  each  guest. 
Roast  dog  which  the  white  men  refuse.  The  roast  is  immediately 
removed.  Roast  buffalo,  which  the  white  men  very  greatly  enjoy.) 

ACT  II 
Time.     1846. 

Place.     Iowa  City.     Governor's  residence. 
Characters.    Iowa's  first   governor,   Ansel   Briggs,   Julien 

Davenport,  Le  Claire,  and  Dr.  Muir. 

Scene.  The  Governor's  study.  Governor  Briggs  in  dressing 
gown  and  slippers  sitting  before  the  fireplace  thinking  of 
Iowa,  past  and  present,  soliloquizing. 

Gov.  Briggs:  I  am  governor  of  this  new  state  of  Iowa.  Just  think  of  the 
change !  How  rapid  has  been  its  growth  in  wealth  and  population ! 
Only  one  short  year  since  the  Indians  left  and  now  we  have  a 
population  of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand.  Wouldn't  Iowa's 
first  settlers  be  surprised  to  see  the  changes  that  have  taken  place 
in  these  last  months?  Dubuque  wouldn't  know  his  lead  mines 
now  and  where  would  his  fur  trading  be?  Le  Claire  would  find 
no  business  here.  Davenport  couldn't  carry  the  mail  across  the 
Mississippi  River  in  one  pocket  now,  and  Dr.  Muir  would  have  to 
take  his  Indian  wife  and  children  to  the  half-breed  tract.  ( Yawns.) 
O,  but  this  has  been  a  hard  day!  (Leans  head  on  chair  back.)  This 
fire  makes  me  drowsy.  (Yawns  again  and  closes  eyes.  Book  drops 
to  floor.  He  sleeps  and  dreams.) 

Dubuque:  (Entering  from  fireplace  and  looking  around  the  room.)  My! 
Isn't  this  grand?  It's  too  fine  for  me!  We  didn't  live  like  this 
down  at  the  lead  mines.  (Davenport  comes  out  from  behind  the 
curtain.)  Why!  Here's  Davenport!  Welcome,  old  trader.  (They 
shake  hands.) 

Davenport:  Dubuque!  Upon  my  word!  What  are  you  doing  here? 

Dubuque:  I  hardly  know  myself.  Things  are  so  changed.  I  came  to  see 

how  Iowa  is  getting  along  these  days.  I've  been  down  to  see  my 

lead  mines  but  you  wouldn't  know  those  mines  if  you  were  to  see 

them  now.  How  well  I  remember  the  time  I  frightened  the  Indians 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  225 

by  setting  the  river  on  fire.  We  went  up  stream  a  little  ways  and 
poured  oil  on  the  water.  When  the  oil  flowed  down  even  with  the 
mines  I  set  a  torch  to  it  and  the  Indians  thought  we  were  setting 
the  world  on  fire.  They  thought  I  was  a  magician  and  they 
respected  me  more  than  ever  after  that.  I  had  about  326  square 
miles  to  mine  and  I  brought  my  ten  French  Canadian  foremen 
from  Prairie  du  Chien.  The  old  Indian  men  and  the  squaws 
worked  in  the  mines.  You  couldn't  hire  an  Indian  brave  to  do 
such  work  as  that. 

Davenport:  Yes  and  just  think!  My  mail  route  has  grown  so  much 
that  they  carry  mail  now  by  stage  coach.  Why,  when  I  was  a 
contractor  in  the  army,  we  were  quartered  in  old  shacks  and 
log  cabins.  I  wouldn't  know  how  to  act  in  such  quarters  as 
they  have  down  there  now. 

Dubuque:  Who's  that,  Davenport?  (Pointing  to  a  figure  coming  from  the 
shadows.) 

Davenport:  Murder!  Run!  That's  how  I  lost  my  life!  (Starts  to  run  but 
stops  as  he  recognizes  his  old  friend,  Le  Claire,  the  interpreter.)  Why, 
Le  Claire!  As  sure  as  I  live!  You  here,  too!  How  is  the  old 
interpreter? 

Le  Claire:  Capital,  Davenport!  This  seems  like  old  times.  I  came  to  do 
some  interpreting  and  to  settle  the  quarrels  for  the  Fox  and  Sac 
Indians  against  the  Sioux,  but  I  can't  find  them. 

Dubuque:  We're  all  lost,  Le  Claire.  We've  just  been  talking  about  all 
the  changes  they've  made  since  our  day.  (A  slight  noise  at  the 
side  of  the  platform.  They  all  turn  as  Dr.  Muir  enters  with  his 
Indian  wife.) 

Le  Claire:  Another  surprise.  How  did  you  find  your  way  here?  I 
believe  this  is  my  old  friend,  Dr.  Muir. 

Dr.  Muir:  (Shakes  hands.)  Here  you  are !  The  only  men  I  knew  in  the 
early  days.  I  came  back  to  find  Sophia,  my  Indian  wife.  You 
remember  that  when  our  children  all  grew  up  she  went  back  to 
her  tribe,  the  Sac  and  Foxes.  They  went  from  Iowa  to  their  new 
reservation  in  Kansas.  At  last  I  found  her. 

Mrs.  Briggs:  (Calls  from  without.)  Ansel!  Ansel!  (Early  settlers  vanish 
by  same  way  they  entered.  Governor  B.  sits  up  and  yawns.) 

Gov.B.:  All  right!  Tell  Dubuque  I'll  be  there.   (Enter  Mrs.  Briggs.) 

Mrs.  B.:  Ansel!  It's  so  late  and  you're  so  tired.  Waken  up.  It's  time 
to  go  to  bed.  You  have  heavy  work  to-morrow. 

Gov.  B.:  (Yawns  and  sits  up  in  his  chair.  Stretches  out  his  arms.)  O,  that 
was  a  fine  dream.  I've  been  enjoying  a  visit  with  Iowa's  earliest 
settlers.  What  time  is  it,  mother?  Half  past  eleven!  O,  but  this 
was  a  hard  day. 


226  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


ACT  III 

(The  Black  Hawk  Scene.    Keokuk  enters  in  company  with 
his  five  wives.) 

Keokuk:  I  am  Keokuk.  My  name  means  "Watchful  Fox."  I  am  a  very 
good  chief.  I  am  a  good  friend  of  the  white  man. 

Black  Hawk  is  my  bitterest  enemy.  We  were  both  born  in  the 
Rock  River  Valley.  He  was  several  years  older  than  I.  I  was  not 
always  a  chief.  When  I  was  young  I  killed  a  Sioux  brave.  He 
was  on  a  horse.  I  rode  up  behind  him  and  stabbed  him.  My 
people  gave  a  great  feast  in  my  honor.  This  and  other  great 
deeds  as  well  as  my  oratory  made  me  a  chief.  Black  Hawk  and  his 
tribe  called  us  squaws.  He  said  that  we  couldn't  fight  bloody 
battles.  But  we  didn't  want  to  because  we  belonged  to  the  peace 
party. 

When  the  pale  faced  people  moved  into  our  land,  the  great 
Pale  Face  Father  said  we  had  better  move  on.  I  gave  a  big  talk  to 
my  people.  I  told  them  it  was  useless  to  stay  and  fight  for  the 
whites  were  much  stronger  than  we.  I  persuaded  them  to  move 
across  the  Father  of  Waters,  but  some  joined  Black  Hawk  and 
put  on  the  war  paint.  Others  followed  me  over  into  Iowa.  This 
was  when  the  Great  White  Father  had  his  second  fight  with 
England.  We  first  moved  along  the  western  shore  of  the  great 
river.  We  did  not  have  good  hunting  grounds  here  so  we  moved  to 
the  Iowa  River  where  the  Great  White  Father  gave  us  much 
land. 

But  since  Black  Hawk  wants  to  fight,  the  Great  White  Father 
likes  me  best.  I  can  swindle  all  the  other  tribes  out  of  their  furs 
because  I  am  so  tricky.  I  have  many  nice  horses.  I  pride  myself 
on  my  horsemanship.  I  like  lots  of  good  fire  water  that  I  buy 
from  the  whites.  It  makes  the  red  man  feel  good.  Then  he  wants 
to  dance  and  sing. 

I  like  fine  clothes  and  bright  colors.  I  also  like  my  five  wives 
and  attendants  who  usually  accompany  me  to  wear  bright  colors. 
The  white  men  give  us  many  beads  and  ornaments.  I  have  several 
wampum  belts  which  were  given  me  in  making  treaties. 

Black  Hawk's  braves  accuse  me  of  stealing  the  government 
money  but  they  are  nothing  but  dogs. 

Black  Hawk  said  they  had  to  cross  the  river  for  food.  This 
caused  a  war.  Some  of  my  warriors  wanted  to  go  to  help  them 
fight  but  I  made  another  long  talk.  I  said,  "Warriors,  I  am  your 
chief.  It  is  my  duty  to  lead  you  to  war  if  you  are  determined  to  go. 
The  United  States  is  a  great  nation  and  we  shall  surely  perish.  I 
will  lead  you  against  them  on  one  condition,  that  is,  that  we  shall 
first  put  all  our  women  and  children  to  death  and  then  resolve 
that  we  shall  perish  among  the  graves  of  our  fathers." 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  227 

My  warriors  after  hearing  my  speech  decided  not  to  go  to  war 
against  the  overwhelming  whites.  I  was  glad  when  Black  Hawk, 
my  rival,  was  defeated.  All  of  Black  Hawk's  braves  hated  me  and 
one  of  them  tried  to  kill  me  by  stabbing. 

A  sad  thing  happened  in  my  tribe  when  my  only  son  died. 
Before  his  death  he  asked  to  have  his  favorite  horse  sent  with  him 
to  Spirit  Land. 

Again  the  Great  White  Father  ordered  us  to  move  on  west- 
ward, so  we  had  to  go  to  Kansas.  We  long  for  our  beautiful  homes 
in  Iowa.  I  am  through.  Farewell. 

Black  Hawk:  I  am  Black  Hawk, 

Once  chief  of  the  Sacs  and  the  Foxes, 
My  life  has  been  hard  and  revengeful; 
My  people  have  suffered  great  wrongs. 
We  lived  near  the  Father  of  Waters, 
On  the  banks  of  the  broad  Mississippi. 
We  loved  our  homes  and  our  cornfields, 
We  were  proud  of  our  warriors  so  strong. 

With  the  coming  of  the  Pale-Face, 

Troubles  came  into  our  land. 

The  Pale-Face  drove  us  from  our  valley 

Into  the  far-off  West. 

He  burnt  our  homes  and  cornfields; 

He  destroyed  our  hunting  grounds; 

He  killed  our  wives  and  children; 

He  made  our  homes  his  own. 

It  was  then  I  took  up  the  hatchet. 
I  left  my  Watch  Tower  in  haste, 
To  summon  my  braves  to  battle; 
To  avenge  the  white  man's  wrongs. 

We  crept  behind  rocks  and  bushes; 
We  gave  our  terrible  war-whoop 
And  rushed  at  the  on-coming  foe, 
They  were  afraid  and  ran. 

Then  we  killed  the  cruel  white  men 
And  hung  their  scalps  at  our  belts. 

We  fought  one  bloody  battle 
On  the  banks  of  the  broad  Wisconsin. 
The  whites  were  much  stronger  than  we. 
They  had  five  times  as  many  warriors 
With  their  firearms  as  we  had  braves. 


228 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Right  at  the  bank  of  the  river, 

I  held  back  the  bloodthirsty  whites 

With  my  little  band  of  braves 

While  the  squaws  were  making  canoes 

To  row  across  to  the  island. 

As  soon  as  the  squaws  crossed  over, 

One-half  of  the  braves  followed  close. 

We  held  the  ford  as  they  crossed; 
Then  they  in  turn  protected  us 
As  we  swam  to  the  opposite  shore. 
I  was  the  last  to  leave  the  enemy's  side. 
The  whites  held  our  lands  thereafter. 

The  chief  thought  to  keep  in  mind  is  this:  Here  is 
opportunity  to  cultivate  in  American  boys  and  girls  the 
true  historic  spirit,  and  through  vitalized,  well  directed 
language  expression,  to  perform  a  real  service  in  saving 
the  choice  stories  that  help  to  make  our  country's  great 
story. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FOUR— SKETCH  BOOKS 

Language,  in  this  study,  correlates  closely  with  nature 
study,  literature,  and  art.  The  main  purpose  in  the 
project  is  to  give  the  pupil  motivated  practice  in  building 
descriptive  paragraphs  and  letters.  In  achieving  this 
purpose,  the  following  other  aims  will  be  realized : 

1.  The  "inward  eyes"  of  the  learner  will  be  opened  to  see 
more  clearly  interesting  scenes  and  characters  around  him. 

2.  An  appreciation  of  the  scenic  resources  of  the  state 
will  be  cultivated. 

3.  Ability  to  build  effective  sentences  and  to  command 
choice  words  will  be  developed. 

Three  weeks  of  worth-while  work  may  well  be  given 
to  the  study. 


SEVENTH   GRADE   LANGUAGE  229 

First  Week.     Writing  Descriptive  Paragraphs  and  Letters 

1.  Following  the  suggestions  given  in  Exercises  30  and 
31  let  the  pupils  study  descriptive  paragraphs  from  artist 
writers.   A  socialized  lesson  may  be  planned  here  by  having 
each  pupil  find  and  bring  to  class  for  reading  and  study,  some 
choice  brief  paragraph.   Pay  especial  attention  to  paragraph 
unity  in  this  study. 

2.  Create  picture  paragraphs  and  sketch  books  descrip- 
tive of  home  scenes,  canyon  pictures,  woodland  sketches, 
season  sketches,  or  other  like  general  subjects.    Art  and 
language  may  be  blended  beautifully  here.    Observe,  for 
example,  how  the  following  picture  paragraphs  have  been 
given  a  dainty  finish. 

A  BLEAK  SPRING  DAY 

;  HE  day  was  drizzly  and  cheerless.  Rain  was  pouring  down  in 
torrents  and  everybody  looked  drenched.  Black  clouds  hung 
low  all  over  the  horizon  excluding  every  ray  of  sunshine.  The 
trees  with  their  limbs  hanging  down  and  dripping  with  water 
did  their  best  to  add  to  the  discomfort  of  all.  Everybody  felt  the  chill 
of  the  cold  dismal  day. 

—Elizabeth  Yearsley. 

AN  UNPLEASANT  DAY 

is  a  cold  dreary  day.  The  snow  is  falling  fast  and  the  ground 
is  frozen  hard.  The  sky  is  covered  with  many  dark  gray 
clouds.  The  wind  is  howling  and  the  large  pine  trees  are 
swaying.  The  snow  is  wet  and  cold  and  the  water  is  frozen 
solid. 

—Charles  Libby. 

3.  Have  the  pupils  write  real  letters  to  friends  or  rela- 
tives in  which  they  tell  of  some  interesting  sight  or  describe 
something  else  of  interest  to  those  to  whom  they  write. 
Here  is  a  copy  of  a  real  letter  written  in  this  way: 

Des  Moines,  Iowa,  Oct.  3.  1920. 
Dear  Will: 

I  wish  you  had  been  with  us  here  at  the  State  Fair  to  day.  A  million 
dollar  livestock  parade  was  had  by  the  exhibitors.  It  surely  was  worth 
seeing. 


230 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

You  have  always  been  interested  in  animals.  I  am  sure  you  would 
have  taken  great  joy  in  watching  the  sleek,  prancing  horses,  the  big 
beef  cattle,  the  dainty  Jerseys  and  the  fine  milch  cows,  and  even  the 
roly-poly,  grunting  pigs  go  by.  There  probably  never  has  been  such  an 
exhibit  of  blooded  stock  in  one  place  before — certainly  not  at  a  State  fair. 

Iowa  is  a  famous  farming  country,  you  know.  Practically  every  foot 
of  its  rich  lands  is  under  cultivation,  or  given  over  to  pasturing  animals. 
A  great  pride  is  taken  in  this  wealth. 

Besides  the  exhibits  there  were  all  sorts  of  shows.  We  did  not  have 
time  to  see  many  of  these,  but  there  were  streams  of  people  going  into 
the  mysterious  tents  that  lined  the  streets.  One  thing  I  did  enjoy  was 
the  auto  races. 

When  are  you  coming  to  see  me?  Where  are  you  going  to  spend  the 
Christmas  vacation?  I  wish  you  would  visit  us  then.  Write  and  tell  me 
of  some  fun  you  have  had. 

Sincerely  yours, 

— Harry. 

Second  Week.  Word  Portraits,  Snapshots,  and  Cartoons 
'  Follow  here  the  suggestions  given  in  Exercises  32, 
33,  and  34.  The  pupils,  properly  led,  will  produce  a 
great  many  joyous  sketches  of  friends  and  interesting 
acquaintances.  Excellent  practice  in  building  unified, 
picturesque  paragraphs  is  afforded  by  these  exercises. 
In  connection  with  this  original  constructive  work, 
study  the  picturesque  descriptions  by  writers. 

The  scenario  affords  fine  opportunity  for  getting 
condensed  descriptions  similar  to  those  found  in  Exercise 
34- 

In  making  scenarios  let  the  pupils  practice  first  writing 
the  cast  of  characters  of  some  well  known  story,  as, 
"The  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow."  With  each  character  a 
flash  description  should  be  given.  For  example: 

Ichabod  Crane — A  wandering  pedagogue,  from  Connecticut — 
rightly  named  Crane  because  of  his  lanky  structure. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 231 

They  may  also  make  a  moving  sketch  of  the  story, 
bringing  into  condensed  form  the  principal  characters  in 
action;  as, 

Into  one  of  the  sleepy,  cozy  nooks  along  the  Hudson  during  the  days 
just  after  the  Revolution,  came  a  wandering  teacher.  Given  the  village 
school,  he  took  up  his  duties  of  teaching  the  young  Dutch,  during  the 
day,  and  "boarding  round"  at  night. 

His  favorite  pastime  was  ghost  stories. 

After  some  practice  in  condensing  familiar  stories  they 
have  read,  perhaps  they  may  try  some  original  scenario. 

Do  not  attempt  the  technique  of  the  scenario.  The 
main  thought  here  is  to  practice  finding  most  expressive 
words,  and  making  clear,  concise  descriptions. 

Among  stories  that  might  be  used  are:  "Rip  Van 
Winkle/'  "The  King  of  the  Golden  River,"  "Old  Pipes 
and  the  Dryad,"  "The  Birds'  Christmas  Carol."  The 
pupils  will  suggest  others. 

Encourage  the  making  here  of  gift  books,  or  Christ- 
mas cards  with  the  personal  touch  in  them.  Make  the 
work  real.  Keep  the  paragraph-building  idea  clear. 

Third  Week.     Word  Studies. 

In  this  word-finding  study  is  found  a  positive  plan 
to  overcome  the  slang  habit: 

1.  By  cultivating  appreciation  of  choice  words. 

2.  By  helping  the  pupil  to  enrich  his  own  vocabulary. 

Slang  need  not  be  mentioned  during  the  study.  Let 
Exercises  35  and  36  be  followed  and  enriched  if  necessary. 
Hundreds  of  other  like  quotations  may  be  gathered  from 
the  text,  from  the  readers,  from  other  books  and  from 
choice  magazines.  The  opportunities  for  finding  pic- 
turesque words  are  unlimited. 


232  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Picturesque  comparisons  likewise  may  be  found  in 
countless  forms  throughout  literature.  Pupils  of  this  age 
like  to  use  such  comparisons.  Let  them  try  their  literary 
wings  by  making  a  few  similes  and  metaphors  or  by 
indulging  their  fancies  through  a  little  personification. 
These  exercises  will  stimulate  a  proper  pride  in  choicer 
language  and  will  help  the  pupils  to  enrich  their  ex- 
pressions. 

The  following  sentences,  taken  from  seventh  and 
eighth  grade  pupils'  papers,  suggest  the  artistic  skill 
often  found  in  children  of  this  grade: 

The  houses  were  entrenched  in  snow  drifts.  The  icy  tree  limbs 
crackled  in  the  breeze. 

The  sun,  streaming  through  morning  mist,  made  the  poppy  bed  seem 
like  a  pot  of  fairy  gold. 

Jack  Frost  is  a  clever  little  imp.  He  dresses  in  white  fur  all  sprinkled 
with  sparkling  jewels.  His  cheeks  are  rosy  and  bright. 

The  clouds  look  crimson;  then  change  little  by  little  as  the  sun 
sinks  farther  and  farther  behind  the  hills.  Lights  twinkle  on  here  and 
there.  The  autumn  day  enwraps  itself  in  evening,  then  night. 

A  small  stream  leaped  and  rippled  o'er  the  pebbles,  and  a  dragon  fly 
wheeled  its  way  across  the  pond,  its  wings  glistening. 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— SENTENCE 
STUDIES 

To  cultivate  a  surer  "sentence  sense"  is  the  aim  of 
this  project. 

A  practical  study  of  paragraphs  has  been  made.  The 
vital  relation  of  sentences  to  paragraph  building  should 
still  be  kept  clear.  The  sentence  is  to  the  paragraph  as 
a  spoke  to  a  wheel  or  as  a  link  to  a  chain.  A  paragraph  is 
a  group  of  sentences,  or,  sometimes  a  single  sentence, 
rounding  out  or  developing  some  main  thought  or  topic. 

How,  then,  is  a  sentence  built?  How  must  it  be  con- 
structed to  be  most  effective? 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  233 

These  questions  may  be  best  answered  in  a  practical 
way  'by  this  study  of  sentences  themselves.  Keep  this 
thought  clear :  Every  well  built  sentence  carries  but  one 
main  thought.  This  applies  whether  the  sentence  is 
simple,  complex,  or  compound. 

Seven  or  eight  weeks  should  be  given  to  the  working 
out  of  these  lessons.  The  following  plan  is  offered  only 
as  suggestive.  It  should  be  varied  according  to  the 
needs  of  the  class.  Some  phases  of  the  work  will  need 
more  drill  exercises;  others  may  be  passed  over  more 
lightly. 

Drive  home  the  essentials.  What  these  essentials  are, 
is  indicated  in  the  following  summary : 

First  Week.     Studying  Simple  Sentences 

Following  the  introductory  Exercise  37,  and  the  brief 
review  of  sentences  according  to  use  in  Exercise  38,  the 
attention  of  the  class  should  be  directed  toward  the 
practical  studies  of  the  simple  sentence  found  in  Exer- 
cises 39,  40,  41,  42. 

Use  the  pupils  own  papers  for  the  making  of  exercises 
to  drive  home  the  main  point  to  be  made  in  this  lesson 
which  is,  Say  one  thing  at  a  time  and  say  it  clearly. 

The  following  compositions  taken  from  a  seventh 
grade  class,  show  four  types  of  sentence  building:  (i) 
The  "run  on"  sentence;  (2)  The  " choppy"  sentence; 
(3)  The  unfinished  sentence;  (4)  Well  built  sentences. 
With  such  compositions  in  hand  the  teacher  can  make 
an  excellent  lesson  on  sentence  building. 

Let  the  compositions  be  copied  on  the  board,  and 
studied  from  the  point  of  view  of  building  clear  sentences. 


234 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

When  they  are  well  constructed,  study  the  sentences  to 
discover  the  simple  sentences  in  them.    Tell  why  they 
are  simple  sentences  and  why  used  in  each  case. 
Afterwards  the  other  types  may  receive  attention. 

SAMPLE  ONE 

It  was  so  hot  the  porch  would  burn  your  bare  feet  and  that  you  would 
have  to  go  in  the  house  and  on  the  cement  walk  it  was  just  as  hot.  Your 
face  was  so  hot  it  would  get  red  it  was  in  the  middle  of  the  summer  it  was 
so  hot  you  could  not  stay  out  doors  without  sweating  because  it  would 
run  down  your  fa<:e. 

SAMPLE  TWO 

It  was  a  cheery  day.  We  taken  our  dinner  to  the  woods.  We  went 
in  bathing.  We  ate  some  berries.  Then  we  ate  supper.  Then  we 
went  in  bathing  again.  Then  we  started  home.  We  went  to  the  show. 
Then  we  played  tap-on-back.  Then  went  to  bed. 

SAMPLE  THREE 

One  day  ten  years  ago  in  mid-summer  I  was  comes  across  the  ocean. 
A  storm  overtook  us.  The  water  dashed  over  the  deck.  This  was  the 
first  time  I  had  been  on  the  ocean  and  feeled  again.  The  day  turn  out  to 
be  a  beautiful. 

SAMPLE  FOUR 

It  was  a  windy  day.  The  wind  broke  the  largest  pine  tree  in  the  yard. 
It  blew  the  roof  off  the  shed  in  the  barnyard,  and  blew  the  pigeon  house 
off  the  barn.  If  the  door  was  opened,  it  took  two  people  to  get  it  closed 
again.  The  wind  blew  a  chicken  into  the  river  before  it  could  get  to  shelter. 

The  first  essential  to  be  kept  clear  in  dealing  with 
these  lessons  is  the  one-subject,  one-predicate  structure 
of  the  simple  sentence.  No  matter  what  the  form  or  the 
arrangement  of  the  parts  of  the  sentence,  the  question 
is,  Has  the  sentence  a  single  subject  and  predicate? 

Practice  in  finding  this  "core"  or  central  thought  will 
both  help  to  cultivate  a  sense  of  unity  and  lay  a  sure 
foundation  for  the  study  of  other  kinds  of  sentence 
structure. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  235 

Two  types  of  practical  exercises  are  developed  in 
dealing  with  the  simple  sentence : 

i .  Making  the  simple  sentence  more  effective  by  shift- 
ing its  parts.  The  sense  of  emphasis  is  here  cultivated. 

The  following  sentences  in  quotations  are  taken  from 
seventh  grade  papers.  What  is  the  leading  idea  in  each 
sentence?  Read  each  pair  of  sentences  aloud,  noting  the 
change  in  emphasis.  Which  construction  seems  best  to 
bring  out  the  leading  idea  in  the  sentence? 

a.  "We  kept  perfectly  still  for  a  while."   For  a  while  we 
kept  perfectly  still. 

b.  "  Everybody  was  out-of-doors  on  that  tragic  day." 
On  that  tragic  day  everybody  was  out-of-doors. 

c.  "It  was  bitterly  cold  last  Sunday."    Last  Sunday  it 
was  bitterly  cold. 

d.  "The  whole  day  long  we  watched  the  merry-go-round." 
We  watched  the  merry-go-round  the  whole  day  long. 

e.  "The  storm  had  cleared  by  that  time."   By  that  time 
the  storm  had  cleared. 

Observe  that  in  some  sentences  the  natural  order 
places  the  emphasis  rightly.  Have  pupils  find  in  their 
own  compositions  or  in  those  by  other  pupils,  five  more 
sentences  which  might  be  made  stronger  by  transposing 
parts  of  them. 

2.  Watching  the  number  forms  in  sentences  begin- 
ning with  there,  where,  here.  This  is  a  most  troublesome 
type  of  sentence  from  the  correct-usage  viewpoint. 

The  following  sentences  taken  from  a  set  of  seventh 
grade  papers  show  the  need  for  drill  on  these  forms. 
Using  these  and  other  like  sentences  taken  from  the 


236  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

pupils'  own  oral  and  written  work  make  drill  exercises  to 
fix  the  right  habits. 

a.  There  was  plenty  of  trees,  but  it  was  hot  under  them. 

b.  There  was  trees  all  around  it. 

c.  There  was  a  few  people  in  the  street. 

d.  There  was  some  light  clouds  in  the  sky. 

e.  He  asked  us  where  we  was  last  night. 

f.  Here  comes  the  boys. 

g.  There  was  several  children  playing  in  the  water. 

Second  Week.     Simple  and  Compound  Sentence  Studies 
Continue  to  cultivate  a  sure  sentence  sense: 

1.  By  showing  clearly  the  use  of  simple  sentences  in 
composition. 

2.  By  making  a  practical  study  of  compound  sentences 
and  compound  elements. 

In  dealing  with  the  compound  sentence,  make  sure 
that  the  compound  sentence  brings  out  one  main 
thought.  It  is  not  a  number  of  independent  sentences 
strung  together.  The  members  of  the  compound  sen- 
tence, when  rightly  constructed,  are  closely  related. 
Here  is  opportunity  to  work  against  the  "run  on" 
sentence,  and  the  "and"  habit. 

The  chief  point  to  be  kept  clear  in  working  with 
compound  elements  is  the  making  of  the  sentence  more 
concise. 

Increase  the  drill  if  necessary  to  drive  these  points 
home;  but  make  the  drill  practical  by  drawing  lessons 
from  the  pupils'  own  papers. 

The  following  samples  from  seventh  grade  papers 
show  the  necessity  for  giving  pupils  help  in  building 
compound  and  other  sentences: 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  237 

a.  "One  day  the  sun  was  shining  and  it  was  very  hot  and 
I  thought  I  would  go  to  the  woods  where  it  was  cooler  but  it 
was  not  much  cooler  there." 

b.  "It  made  the  children  go  bathing  so  that  they  would 
get  cooled  off  and  the  white  clouds  were  floating  in  the  sky." 

c.  "The  sky  was  clear  and  not  a  cloud  was  in  sight  and 
we  went  to  the  shade  and  it  was  not  much  cooler  there." 

Have  pupils  reconstruct  such  sentences  making  them 
simple  or  compound  or  complex  as  seems  best  to  bring 
out  the  thought  clearly. 

Let  them  help  gather  other  sentences,  giving  similar 
problems  in  construction,  from  their  own  and  other 
papers. 

Third  Week.     The  Complex  Sentence 

Here  again  the  idea  is  to  cultivate  a  surer  "sentence 
sense." 

Study  of  the  complex  sentence  with  definite  drills 
upon  its  proper  use  will  help  greatly  to  cultivate  the 
much  needed  sense  of  subordination. 

Make  from  pupils'  own  notebooks  and  papers  such 
exercises  as  the  following: 

Change  the  following  sentences  to  complex  sentences 
and  make  such  other  changes  as  will  bring  into  the  clear 
the  leading  thought  in  each.  For  example: 

"One  day  the  sun  was  shining  and  I  was  very  hot  and  I 
thought  I  would  go  into  the  woods  where  it  was  cooler  but  it 
was  not  much  cooler  there." 

The  sun  was  so  hot  that  I  sought  the  shade  of  the  woods; 
but  I  found  it  not  much  cooler  there. 

Let  pupils  make  similar  reconstructions  of  the  follow- 
ing sentences: 


238  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

"The  other  night  I  was  over  in  town  and  when  I  came 
home  the  wind  was  blowing  very  hard." 

"It  was  this  kind  of  fine  snow  and  it  cut  your  face." 

"We  went  back  up  after  supper  and  everybody  was  talk- 
ing about  the  hot  night." 

"The  clouds  were  dark  and  the  wind  was  cutting  the  faces 
and  hands  so  strong  was  it." 

Fourth  Week.     Applied  Studies  in  Sentence  Building 
In  Exercises  49,  50,  and  51,  the  lessons  previously 

given   are   applied    to   everyday   practice   in   sentence 

building. 

The  training  here  aims  directly  to  cultivate  a  surer 

sentence  sense: 

1.  By  giving  the  pupils  opportunity  to  criticise  and  to 
reconstruct  compositions  of  their  own  and  of  others. 

2.  By  giving  practice  in  business  correspondence. 

3.  By  writing  night  letters  and  telegrams. 

These  exercises  can  be  readily  increased  if  time  per- 
mits. Pay  special  attention  to  overcoming  the  "and" 
habit,  and  to  sentence  conciseness. 

Condense  the  following  to  ten  or  fewer  words: 

1.  We  shall  arrive  on  number  twenty  Union  Pacific. 
Have  some  one  at  the  station  to  meet  us. 

2.  I  cannot  accept  your  offer  of  work  during  this  summer 
vacation.   Appreciate  it  but  have  already  promised  to  serve 
another  firm. 

3.  Please  send  by  express  collect  the  books  I  ordered 
while  I  was  in  Chicago  on  January  eighteenth. 

Condense  the  following  to  a  night  letter  of  fifty  words 
or  fewer. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  239 

I  have  decided  to  attend  the  state  university  this  coming 
year.  Why  not  make  up  your  mind  to  do  the  same  thing. 
We  can  get  a  room  together  at  the  new  dormitory  for  fifty 
dollars  per  month.  I  have  asked  that  it  be  held  till  I  can  get 
a  wire  from  you.  The  tuition  is  fifty  dollars  per  year,  books 
will  cost  about  twenty  more.  Hope  you  can  arrange  to  come. 
It  will  be  a  rich  experience  for  both  of  us.  Wire  me  at  once 
whether  you  will  join  me  in  the  venture. 

Good  practice  in  exchanging  telegrams  is  suggested  by  this  last 
exercise.  Have  half  of  the  pupils  send  night  letters,  telegrams,  or  busi- 
ness letters,  and  have  the  rest  reply. 

Fifth  Week.     Sentence  Clearness 

An  opportunity  is  opened  here  for  bringing  language 
and  history  into  helpful  correlation.  The  study  naturally 
falls  about  the  time  of  the  birthday  of  Lincoln.  Lincoln 
is  one  of  our  greatest  masters  of  clear  sentence  building. 
A  study  of  his  speeches  and  writings  will  prove  doubly 
helpful. 

In  addition  to  the  studies  in  the  text,  have  the  pupils 
read  Lincoln's  Farewell  Speech  at  Springfield,  The 
Gettysburg  Speech,  part  of  his  Second  Inaugural  Ad- 
dress, and  other  addresses.  Each  pupil  may  bring  to 
class  and  read  some  choice  sentence  from  Lincoln's 
works. 

Exercise  53,  dealing  with  Bible  clearness,  may  like- 
wise be  enriched.  A  socialized  lesson  in  which  pupils 
give  choice  Biblical  sentences  may  be  arranged  with 
excellent  results. 

Exercise  54,  offers  an  excellent  opportunity  for  an 
exchange  of  experiences  on  learning  language.  Lead  the 
pupils,  both  to  talk  and  to  write  paragraphs  telling  of 


240 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

their  experiences  suggested  by  the  story  about  Lincoln. 
Their  paragraphs  should  be  taken  and  corrected  con- 
structively from  the  viewpoint  of  sentence  clearness. 

Sixth  Week.  How  to  Make  Clear  Sentences 
Say  one  thing  at  a  time  and  say  it  clearly.  In  Exer- 
cises 55,  56,  57,  and  58,  a  series  of  practical  lessons 
making  clear  this  point  are  to  be  found.  The  drills  may 
be  readily  increased  by  using  newspaper  advertisements 
and  other  everyday  compositions  that  illustrate  faulty 
structure.  Let  every  pupil,  for  example,  bring  to  class  a 
sentence  illustration  of  lack  of  clearness  like  the  follow- 
ing taken  from  a  country  paper: 

"Sam  Jones  went  to last  week  with  a  carload 

of  hogs.  He  did  not  have  enough  so  some  of  the  neighbors 
went  in  to  help  make  up  the  car." 

The  sense  of  humor,  as  well  as  the  sense  of  clearness, 
may  be  cultivated  by  such  a  study. 

Seventh  Week.    Punctuation  and  Arrangement 

The  rules  of  punctuation,  reduced  to  their  essentials, 
also  capitalization,  and  general  neatness  of  written  forms 
should  be  taught  here  in  a  practical  way. 

Two  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  the  lessons  and  drills 
offered  and  suggested  in  Exercises  59,  60,  61,  62,  63,  64, 
65- 

Neatness  and  correct  form  in  written  work  is  both  a 
courtesy  to  the  reader  and  a  help  to  the  writer. 

The  best  way  to  make  this  point  felt  is  not  to  accept 
faulty  and  slovenly  work,  either  in  notebooks  or  in 
compositions.  A  firm  refusal  on  the  part  of  all  teachers 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  241 

to  permit  carelessness  in  written  work  would  quickly 
bring  the  right  habits  into  being. 

In  dealing  with  the  rules  of  punctuation  the  effort 
should  be  directed  towards  (i)  making  the  pupil  feel  the 
significance  of  each  mark  of  punctuation;  and  (2) 
training  his  fingers  not  to  forget  the  rules. 

Punctuation  is  a  matter  of  habit.  Drill  for  a  working 
knowledge  of  each  rule. 

Following  are  some  exercises  to  reinforce  the  rules 
and  exercises  given  in  the  text. 

Correct  the  punctuation  and  capitalization  where 
needed,  in  the  following  paragraphs  taken  from  seventh 
grade  papers.  Give  reason  for  your  correction  in  each 
case. 

1.  Last  Sunday  it  was  so  cold  and  stormy.    That  you 
couldent  hardly  step  out  doors  unless  you  would  about 
freeze. 

2.  A  hot  day  about  one  of  the  Ho  test  days  that  I  can 
remember  was  when  the  sun  was  blazing  down  drying  up 
the  creeks  stream  arid  rivers  I  was  going  up  a  hill  and  the 
sun  made  me  fell  so  drowsey  that  I  thought  I  would  never 
reach  the  top 

3.  The  day  was  very  stormy    The  clouds  were  reising 
from  the  west  which  were  very  dark  indeed,  that  made  one 
feel  like  staying  at  home. 

4.  It  was  a  summer  day.    When  a  big  thunder  storm 
came  out  of  the  north.    It  came  very  suddenly  and  people 
were  running  for  shelter. 

5.  When  dad  missed  me  he  asked  Dan  where  I  was  Dan 
was  my  brother  you  will  remember. 


242  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

GENERAL  STUDY  SIX— HOMES  AND 
HOME-MAKING 

The  home  life  line  is  one  of  the  most  vital  of  all  lines  of 
work.  Our  schools  have  been  too  slow  to  develop  this 
work  in  training  pupils.  Here  is  offered  an  opportunity 
to  bring  the  school  and  the  home  into  closer  correlation 
through  giving  vitalized  lessons  in  language  on  home  life 
topics. 

In  the  program  of  studies  provided,  will  be  found 
material  enough  to  fill  a  full  month. 

First  Week.  Homes  and  Home  Work 

Exercises  66,  67,  and  68  point  the  way  towards 
socialized  lessons  in: 

1.  Describing  picturesque  homes. 

2.  Building  explanatory  paragraphs. 

3.  Discussing  and  debating  live  topics  connected  with 
home-making. 

During  the  last  named  study,  Home  Sanitation  and 
Health  Studies  are  brought  into  close  correlation  with 
language  work. 

The  effort  should  be  to  help  the  pupils  to  think  clearly 
and  to  express  themselves  well  on  these  practical  sub- 
jects. Pay  especial  attention  to  sentence  and  paragraph 
building  during  this  week  always  with  the  view  of  help- 
ing the  pupil  bring  out  effectively  thoughts  worth  while. 

The  following  composition  was  produced  by  a  seventh 
grade  pupil  while  working  out  this  project: 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


243 


CUP- 
BOARD 

WINDOW 

CUP- 
BOARD 

if} 

I  \    ,' 

V 

SINK 

^  SINK 

f  \ 

(  \  1 

V 

WOPK         \  t       | 
TABLE         \   \      | 

iL 

\srove 

OOOO  OUT 

RE- 
PV?/&v 
£  PA- 
TOR 

MY  KITCHEN 

My  kitchen  is  a  small,  cozy,  bright  room  finished  in  white  enamel. 
My  floor  is  covered  with  blue  and  white  linoleum.  The  walls  are  a  pretty, 
light  cream  color.  The  door  to  the  dining  room  is  fixed  so  that  it  can 
swing  back  or  forward  as  desired,  while  the  other  doors  will  open  only 
one  way. 

The  furniture  is  all  white  enamel  with  a  little  bluebird  design  on  it. 
In  one  of  my  cupboards  my  pans  are  kept  and  in  the  other  my  china 
dishes  which  also  have  the  bluebird  design,  like  the  furniture.  My 
furniture  also  is  nicely  arranged  so  that  it  takes  little  walking  to  prepare 
a  meal.  The  stove  is  coal  and  gas  combined,  with  white  enamel  decora- 
tions. By  my  windows  I  always  try  to  keep  a  pot  or  vase  of  flowers. 

—Jeanette  Holz. 
Second  Week.    Foods  and  Cooking 

A  kind  of  double  subject  is  provided  here  under  the 
titles: 

1.  Cooks  and  Cooking  (Exercises  69  and  70). 

2.  How  Homes  are  Supplied  with  Food   (Exercises  71 
and  72). 

The  thought  is  to  give  both  boys  and  girls  a  rich  selec- 
tion of  subjects  from  which  each  may  choose  one  to 
develop  into  the  form  of  a  little  lecture,  or  an  illustrated 
article  wherein  the  subject  is  rather  completely  developed. 

The  project  has  proved  to  be  one  of  real  merit  and 
interest.  To  illustrate  what  may  be  done,  the  following 
instances  are  given: 


244  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

One  seventh  grade  boy  in  a  certain  ungraded  school 
in  the  Middle  West  chose  "The  Silo"  as  his  subject.  He 
spent  a  week  or  more  working  out  his  article,  studying 
the  silo,  making  sketches  and  taking  pictures.  The 
result  was  worthy  of  publication  in  the  best  farm 
magazine. 

Another  lad  took  "The  Honey  Bee"  for  his  topic. 
Commenting  on  the  little  talk  this  pupil  gave  before  the 
class,  one  of  his  classmates  said  "Why  Harold  talked  for 
half  an  hour  to-day  on  the  honey  bee.  I  never  knew  there 
was  so  much  to  be  learned  about  bees  as  he  told  us." 

One  girl,  whose  father  owned  a  sheep  herd,  took  up  the 
sheep  industry  and  wrote  a  most  interesting  essay  illus- 
trated with  kodak  pictures  she  had  taken  while  visiting 
the  herd  at  various  times. 

The  possibilities  for  individual  work  within  the 
project  are  limitless.  Keep  these  thoughts  clear  in 
working  out  the  study : 

1.  Each  pupil  should  choose  one  subject,  close  to  his 
interests,  on  which  he  can  get  materials  at  first  hand.    Book 
studies  of  the  subject,  if  no  other  source  is  available,  may  be 
followed,  but  original  investigation  brings  the  best  results. 
The  idea  is  to  get  original  self-expression. 

2.  Pupils  should  be  trained  to  build  up  their  paragraphs 
into  longer  compositions.    Work  for  unity  in  these  composi- 
tions. 

An  illustration  of  the  following  actual  lesson  will 
make  this  thought  concrete. 

A  certain  seventh  grade  class  had  been  set  to  working  out 
a  project  on  Poultry  Raising.  The  pupils  were  making  oral 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  245 

reports  of  progress.  When  a  visitor  entered  the  room,  one 
boy  was  talking  in  a  rambling  way  about  poultry  raising. 

The  visitor  listened  awhile,  then,  having  been  invited  to 
take  part,  asked: 

"What  are  you  talking  about,  my  boy?" 

"  'Bout  raising  poultry." 

"Don't  these  boys  and  girls  know  how  to  raise  poultry?" 

"I  guess  they  do." 

"Then  why  take  their  time  to  tell  about  it?" 

"Well,  the  teacher  told  us  to  talk  about  some  subject  like 
this,  and  I  took  Poultry  Raising  because  I  knew  most  about 
it.  Father  is  a  poultry  raiser." 

"Then  you  certainly  should  be  able  to  tell  us  something 
worth  while,"  suggested  the  visitor.  "What  would  you  like 
this  boy  to  tell  us  about  poultry  raising,  class?  " 

"I'd  like  to  know  how  to  make  poultry  pay,"  said  one 
pupil. 

"Very  well,  can  you  do  it,  my  boy?" 

"I  think  I  can." 

"Go  ahead.   What  will  be  the  title  of  your  talk?" 

"Making  Poultry  Pay,"  ventured  the  pupil. 

"That  gives  a  clear  center  for  the  talk.  Now  what  is  the 
first  point  you  wish  to  make?" 

"Well,  I'd  choose  the  right  kind  of  eggs." 

"Very  well,  tell  us  something  about  choosing  eggs." 

The  pupil  made  a  clear-cut  paragraph  on  selecting  eggs. 

"What  is  the  next  point  to  be  made?" 

"Getting  a  good  hatch." 

A  discussion  of  the  hen  method  and  the  incubator  method 
followed. 

"What  next?" 

"The  young  chicks  must  be  well  cared  for." 


246 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

A  paragraph  was  made  giving  practical  directions  on 
the  care  of  chicks.  Next  the  question  of  marketing  the 
product  was  taken  up.  The  subject  was  thus  developed 
step  by  step. 

Meanwhile  the  rest  of  the  pupils  were  getting  a  real 
lesson  in  organizing  a  composition  or  lecture.  When 
their  turns  came,  they  were  ready  to  give  their  titles  and 
block  out  their  subjects  point  by  point. 

Talking  to  a  point  and  talking  with  a  real  purpose 
counts.  Pupils  should  be  trained,  through  such  moti- 
vated practice  as  is  provided  for  within  this  project, 
and  as  is  suggested  in  the  instance  just  given,  to  think 
straight  and  to  express  themselves  clearly,  interestingly, 
and  convincingly. 

Third  Week.    Home  Pleasures 

The  right  home  spirit  is  most  essential.  In  cultivating 
the  spirit  that  makes  happy  homes,  the  school  can  and 
should  play  a  real  part.  This  fine  purpose  may  be 
accomplished  by  dealing  in  a  vital  way  with  such  lessons 
as  are  found  in  Exercises  73,  74,  75,  and  76. 

The  exercises  offer  opportunity  for  a  series  of  rich 
socialized  lessons  on: 

1.  Songs  for  the  home. 

2.  Verse  making  about  the  home. 

3.  Writing  letters  to  home  folk. 

4.  Writing  paragraphs  on  home  topics. 

5.  Creating  entertainment  for  the  home. 

Fourth  Week.    The  Home  Library 
Exercise  7.7  offers  an  excellent  chance  for  the  blending 
of  language  and  literature.    Right  reading  habits  may 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 247 

be  promoted  and  guided  by  having  socialized  lessons  on 
favorite  books  and  favorite  authors. 

Building  up  the  home  library  by  making  book  presents 
on  birthday  and  holiday  times  is  a  topic  also  worth 
discussing.  Exchanging  books,  the  proper  arrangement 
and  care  of  home  libraries,  reading  choice  poems  and 
stories  aloud  and  the  story-telling  hour,  all  are  topics 
well  worth  discussing. 

The  thought  uppermost  in  Exercise  78  is  to  train  the 
dramatic  instinct.  In  these  days  of  sensational  plays 
and  " movies,"  there  is  greater  need  than  ever  for  the 
school  to  exercise  a  direct  and  potent  influence  in  guiding 
the  pupil's  love  of  the  drama  in  all  its  various  forms. 

This  uplifting  influence  may  be  brought  to  bear  (i) 
through  the  working  out  of  plays  wherein  choice  stories, 
as  suggested,  are  dramatized;  and  (2)  through  a  frank 
expression  in  socialized  language  lessons  of  likes  and 
dislikes  in  the  plays  as  they  are  being  portrayed. 

GENERAL  STUDY  SEVEN— WORDS  AND 
THEIR  WAYS 

A  definite  effort  is  here  made  toward  overcoming  the 
slang  habit  by  building  a  choice  and  ready  vocabulary. 
To  this  end  a  series  of  practical  exercises  is  provided  as 
follows : 

1.  A  confidential  talk  on  the  "slang  habit." 

2.  Practical  exercises  in  finding  expressions  to  overcome 
slang. 

3.  Exercises  to  enrich  the  vocabulary. 

4.  Studies  in  synonyms  and  antonyms. 

5.  Word  accuracy,  a  dictionary  exercise. 


248 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

6.  Review  lessons  in  correct  usage. 

7.  Word  families  linking  English  with  Latin. 

Four  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  the  working  out  of 
the  foregoing  program.  Even  longer  attention,  if  time 
permits,  may  be  given  to  this  work.  The  studies  are 
flexible,  each  offering  excellent  opportunity  for  expan- 
sion or  contraction  according  to  the  pupils'  language 
needs  as  they  have  been  revealed  in  oral  and  in  written 
work  throughout  the  year. 

The  lessons  are  so  definitely  blocked  out  that  further 
special  directions  outlining  a  day-by-day  program  seems 
superfluous  here.  The  following  are  a  few  practical 
suggestions,  however,  that  make  clear  some  important 
points: 

i.    Dealing  with  the  Slang  Habit. 

The  spirit  of  the  introductory  Exercise  81  should  pre- 
vail here.  The  pupils  should  be  taken  into  confidence 
regarding  slang;  it  is  their  problem.  The  problem  will 
be  most  quickly  solved  when  the  learner  has  the  right 
attitude  towards  the  work. 

From  the  following  actual  schoolroom  incident  should 
come  some  help  to  guide  teachers  in  dealing  with  slovenly 
speech. 

A  certain  pupil  came  to  the  teacher  at  the  close  of  school 
and  said, 

"I  aint  goin'  to  be  at  school  to-morrow." 

"You  mean,  'I'm  not  going  to  be  at  school,'  don't  you, 
Will?"  suggested  the  teacher. 

"  Well,  you  understood  me,  didn't  you?  "  returned  the  boy, 
insolently. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  249 

"Yes,  I  understood,"  said  the  teacher  quietly.  "Now, 
my  boy,  you  don't  have  to  say  'I'm  not  going.'  You  don't 
have  to  brush  your  hair;  you  don't  have  to  keep  your  teeth 
clean;  you  don't  have  to  keep  your  clothes  neat.  There  are  a 
thousand  and  one  things  a  person  does  not  have  to  do  in  this 
life.  He  can  go  on  using  slovenly  speech  if  he  wishes  to  do  so, 
or  wearing  slovenly  clothes;  but  he  will  pay  dearly  for  the 
privilege  in  the  long  run. 

"Remember  this,  laddie:  One  is  judged,  first  of  all,  by  his 
speech  and  by  his  personal  appearance.  It  is  not  my  problem ; 
it  is  yours.  Can  you  afford  to  be  slovenly  in  your  language?  " 

2.  Cultivating  the  Dictionary  Habit. 

Exercises  83,  84,  and  85  offer  an  excellent  opportunity 
to  develop  habits  of  accuracy  in  the  use  of  words.  A 
definite  study  of  the  dictionary  is  called  for  at  this  point. 
Pupils  should  be  trained  to  use  this  important  tool  of 
learning,  constantly  and  intelligently. 

The  synonyms  should  be  discussed  and  their  various 
shades  of  meaning  shown  by  giving  sentences  in  which 
they  are  aptly  used.  These  sentences  may  be  original  or 
quotations  from  literature. 

3.  Reviews  in  Correct  Usage. 

In  Exercise  86,  some  of  the  most  troublesome  forms 
of  verbs  and  other  parts  of  speech  are  given  thoughtful 
attention.  These  should  be  mastered,  if  possible,  by 
practical  lessons  and  drills,  such  as  are  found  in  the  text. 
Use  blank-filling  exercises.  Let  the  pupils  find  and  make 
sentences  illustrating  the  proper  use  of  troublesome 
forms. 


2  50 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


A  complete  review  of  "The  Twelve  Tables  of  Correct 
Usage"  may  also  be  given  at  this  point  if  deemed 
necessary.  See  Sixth  Grade  pages  197  to  201. 

Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  the  errors 
that  persist.  What  drill  should  be  given  must  be  deter- 
mined by  the  needs  of  the  class  as  revealed  in  their  oral 
and  written  work. 

It  is  very  probable  that  "aint,"  "this  here,"  "John 
he,"  "hadn't  ought,"  "have  got,"  with  the  "and"  habit 
may  have  been  carried  over  by  a  few  pupils  into  the 
seventh  grade.  If  so,  deal  with  these  and  other  like 
errors  by  stimulating  a  pride  in  pupils  to  overcome  them. 

These  review  drills  should  be  mainly  individual 
work.  It  is  not  likely  that  the  majority  of  the  pupils  will 
need  them.  If  they  do  it  is  clearly  evident  that  the  work 
in  correct  usage  has  not  been  well  done  in  the  preceding 
grades. 

Have  each  pupil  keep  a  notebook  in  which  he  records 
his  own  trouble-makers,  and  makes  drills  for  self- 
correction. 

For  illustration: 


Sit,    Set 

sit,  sat,  sitting,  sat 
set,  set,  setting,  set 


Rise,  Raise 

rise,  rose,  rising,  risen 
raise,  raised,  raising,  raised 


I  was  sitting  by  the  window.  I 
had  sat  there  half  an  hour 
when  my  cousin  came  and 
sat  beside  me. 

"Why  do  you  sit  here  so 
soberly,"  she  asked. 


He  rose  slowly,  walked  to  the 
window  to  see  the  rising 
sun.  When  it  had  risen,  he 
went  back  to  his  couch,  and 
did  not  rise  from  it  for 
several  hours. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


251 


The  thought  here  is  to  drive  straight  at  the  "trouble 
spots,"  and  also  to  stimulate  self -effort  on  the  part  of  the 
pupils  in  clearing  these  away. 

Another  good  drill  method  is  to  have  written  on  the 
board,  or  if  possible  to  have  mimeographed  such  exer- 
cises as  the  following: 


choice 
lying 

lie,  lay 

reason 

Means  "  reclining  " 

grass. 

laid 

Means  "placed" 

lay 

TTip  tirpH  ^nlHipr    •  •     ••     nnHpr  n 

Means  "reclined" 

tree. 

may,  can 

may 

Means  "permission" 

4.    Getting  a  Foretaste  of  Latin. 

In  Exercise  89,  English  and  Latin  are  brought  into 
correlation.  This  little  study  of  words  derived  from  the 
great  " mother  language"  is  but  a  taste  of  the  work  that 
should  be  given.  Word  accuracy  can  come  only  from  an 
intensive  study  of  word  families. 

A  week  or  more  may  well  be  given  to  this  work.  The 
language,  reading,  and  spelling  lessons  should  all  be 
made  to  reinforce  these  lessons  in  word  derivation.  Here 
again  is  a  good  chance  to  cultivate  the  ''dictionary  habit." 
The  teacher  should  make  the  most  of  it. 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


The  net  result  to  come  from  the  various  word  studies 
just  outlined  should  be  an  enrichment  of  the  vocabulary 
and  a  proper  pride  in  the  use  of  clear,  clean  speech. 

GENERAL    STUDY    EIGHT—  THE    POET    AND 
HIS  ART 

Cultivating  the  spirit  of  authorship  is  the  central 
purpose  in  this  study.  This  does  not  mean  that  every 
pupil  will  be  made  a  poet.  But  an  appreciation  of  poetry 
may  be  awakened  in  every  one.  Out  of  such  appreciation 
may  spring  poetic  expression. 

A  keener  pride  in  proper  language  will  certainly  come 
from  studies  such  as  are  offered  in  Exercises  90  to  99. 
Opportunity  is  afforded  for  both  practical  and  inspira- 
tional work  as  suggested  by  the  following  topics: 

1.  Legends  about  the  first  poet.   In  these  studies  the  real 
meaning  of  the  poet's  art  is  made  simple  and  concrete. 

2.  Study  of  poetic  quotations  showing  plainly  the  poet's 
art.   Language  here  is  blended  beautifully  with  literature. 

3.  Studies  in  sound  and  sense.     This  work  has  double 
value.    It  cultivates  appreciation  of  word  art,  and  makes 
clear  the  necessity  for  proper  enunciation. 

4.  Exercises  in  enunciation.    A  complete  review  of  the 
type  trouble-makers  in  enunciation  and  pronunciation  is 
given  here.     Well  directed  drills  to  cultivate  and  fix  right 
habits  in  articulating  words  are  provided. 

5.  A  literary  recital.     Reading  and   language  are  cor- 
related here.   The  importance  of  proper  voicing  of  literature 
is  emphasized  through  the  socialized  recitation. 

6.  Composing  Poetry.     One  of  the  most  delightful 
exercises  in  language  is  provided  for  in  these  lessons. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  253 

The  pupils  are  given  an  encouraging  opportunity  here  to 
express  themselves  in  verse.  Simple  studies  of  verse 
forms  are  made. 

Out  of  these  exercises  have  come  and  can  come  some 
most  gratifying  results.  The  following  poems  from 
seventh  grade  pupils  came  out  of  this  exercise.  They 
suggest  its  possibilities. 

THE  NIGHT  ARTIST 

There  is  a  queer  little  artist, 

Who  paints  in  the  cold  night  hours 

Beautiful  pictures  for  us, 

Of  wonderful  grasses  and  flowers. 

He  paints  majestic,  rugged  mountains 

That  reach  to  a  snow-white  sky, 
And  a  beautiful  crystal  fountain 

Flowing  close  by. 

No  one  has  seen,  nor  will  see, 

This  queer  little  man, 
His  brush,  nor  his  palette, 

His  home,  nor  his  land. 

Do  you  know  this  queer  little  artist, 
Whose  canvass  is  the  window  pane? 

II  you  haven't  already  guessed, 
Jack  Frost  is  his  name. 

— Ross  Shriver. 

TWILIGHT 

Softly  the  twilight  steals, 

Over  hill  and  dale. 
Soon  the  stars  begin  to  creep, 

From  out  their  hidden  vale. 

The  moon  with  glorious  brilliancy 

Steals  out  upon  the  night. 
To  cheer  the  weary  traveler, 

And  guide  him  with  its  light. 


254 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

.  Far  away  in  the  distance 

Is  the  cry  of  the  whip-poor-will 
Then  night  time  falls  over  all 
And  the  summer  night  is  still. 

— Kenneth  Harkness. 

WASHING  DISHES 

Washing,  Washing  Dishes, 
Do  them  as  you  please. 

Slower,  slower,  slowest,  but  the  quicker  way  is  best 
For  the  sooner  that  you  get  them  done 
the  sooner  you  get  to  rest. 

But  oh,  how  I  do  hate  them! 
I  hear  morning,  noon,  and  night, 
Its.  "Oh,  come  wash  the  dishes 
And  do  them  up  just  right." 

I  wash  the  dishes,  pots,  and  pans; 
Then  sit  down  and  fold  my  hands. 
So  then  I  think  when  I  am  through, 
It's  the  easiest  thing  I  have  to  do. 

—Opal  Hall. 

What  steps  are  necessary  to  produce  good  results? 

An  atmosphere  for  poetic  expression  must  first  be 
created.  This  may  be  done  by  giving  the  pupils  an 
encouraging  opportunity  to  talk  on  some  poetic  subject 
close  to  their  lives;  as,  the  prairies;  the  mountains;  the 
woods;  the  streams;  the  birds;  the  animals;  sports  and 
games;  companions;  home;  the  holidays.  Many  inter- 
esting subjects  offer  themselves  here. 

As  the  pupils  talk,  poetic  lines  may  frequently  come. 
The  following  are  examples  of  such  lines: 

I  love  the  leaping  canyon  streams. 
The  prairies  are  a  prayer  of  peace. 
What  do  you  say,  saucy  bluejay? 
Silvery  lake  in  the  woodlands. 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 255 

Any  such  line  that  strikes  a  clear  musical  lead  towards 
a  sentiment  or  thought  worth  developing,  will  give  a 
good  start  towards  a  little  poem.  Let  it  be  followed  up 
by  the  pupil. 

The  aim  should  be  to  keep  the  expression  spontaneous 
and  free. 

When  the  pupil  has  given  an  individual  expression, 
the  teacher  should,  by  suggestion  and  direction,  help 
him  to  perfect  the  poem.  Let  the  pupil's  originality, 
however,  be  preserved.  The  effort  should  be  directed 
only  towards  bringing  his  native  grain  up  to  its  best. 

Shall  the  principles  of  prosody  be  taught? 

Not  at  the  outset.  Technical  teaching  of. such  matters 
as  meter  and  feet  had  best  be  left  till  later.  The  natural 
instinct  for  rhythmic  expression  is  rather  strong  in  most 
pupils.  Given  a  little  encouragement  and  easy  rein,  it 
generally  keeps  true. 

Lessons  like  those  offered  in  Exercise  99  should  follow, 
not  precede  the  verse  making. 

Out  of  the  work  should  come  delightful  little  booklets 
of  verse.  Art  and  language  may  be  blended  to  bring 
these  up  to  most  artistic  forms. 

The  spirit  of  authorship,  with  literary  appreciation, 
and  artistic  enunciation,  are  the  results  to  be  worked  for 
in  these  lessons.  Nothing  better  can  come  from  the 
language  work  then  these  desirable  results. 

Review  of  Seventh  Grade  Work 

At  the  close  of  the  seventh  grade  course  the  class 
should  be  given  a  round-up  review  of  the  essentials 


256  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

emphasized  throughout  the  work.   The  chief  aims  have 
been  to  cultivate: 

i.    Skill  in  Building  Paragraphs. 

Paragraph  unity  and  paragraph  connection  are  the 
main  points  to  receive  attention  here.  Use  the  pupils 
own  notebooks  and  papers  to  cultivate  skill  in  organizing 
their  compositions. 

For  example  take  the  following  seventh  grade  com- 
position: 

THE  BATTLE  OF  WOUNDED  KNEE 

Since  the  time  the  first  white  settlers  came  to  the  west  there  have 
been  numerous  uprisings  among  the  different  tribes  of  Indians.  These 
uprisings  were  caused  by  religious  maniacs.  The  most  serious  was  the 
Ghost  Dance  War  of  1890-91. 

The  ghost  dancers  were  followers  of  a  certain  Indian  who  called  him- 
self the  Messiah.  He  had  offered  a  hope  of  a  miraculous  intervention 
in  behalf  of  the  red  man  on  the  part  of  the  whites. 

This  became  a  religion  among  the  different  tribes.  In  some  it  soon 
died  out,  however,  it  was  still  believed  by  many  whose  numbers  were 
great  enough  to  become  a  menace  to  the  white  man. 

Fired  by  their  religious  zeal  inspired  by  Sitting  Bull  and  led  by  Chief 
Wounded  Knee  the  Indians  took  up  arms  against  the  white  settlers. 

The  homesteaders  took  their  belongings  and  rushed  for  Chadron 
pursued  by  the  savage  Indians  who  were  met  by  General  Brook  and  a 
small  army. 

In  this  battle  which  was  afterwards  called  Wounded  Knee  three 
hundred  Indians  including  women  and  children  were  mown  down  within 
a  few  minutes  by  the  enemies'  machine  guns.  Very  few  white  men  were 
killed. 

It  is  believed  by  many  that  the  Indians  should  not  have  been  greatly 
blamed  for  their  part  in  this  uprising  as  they  were  led  through  their 
superstitious  fears  by  the  chief  "Sitting  Bull"  who  was  crafty  enough 
to  impose  upon  them,  turning  their  fears  into  hatred  against  the  white- 
man.  Also  in  the  battle  of  Wounded  Knee,  the  Indians  were  not  well 
prepared  to  fight,  were  not  expecting  the  dreadful  assault  of  the  soldiers, 
and  had  no  chance  to  put  their  women  and  children  in  a  place  of  safety. 

This  was  the  last  uprising  of  the  Sioux.  Their  chief,  Sitting  Bull, 
who  was  largely  responsible  for  the  war  was  killed.  They  seemed  to 


SEVENTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 257 

realize  the  power  of  the  white  man  is  too  great  for  the  Indian  to  rebel 
against  and  have  become  more  law  abiding. 

Observe  closely  the  paragraph  structure  asking  your- 
self these  questions:  How  many  paragraphs  are  made  by 
the  writer?  How  many  points  are  developed  in  the 
story? 

Make  a  brief  outline  of  these  points;  thus, 

a.  Numerous  uprisings  among  Indians  since  whites  came. 

b.  These  uprisings  caused  by  religious  maniacs. 

Why  should  the  first  two  paragraphs  be  made  into 
one?  Show  how  this  might  be  done.  What  other  para- 
graphs also  might  well  be  blended?  Which  of  all  the 
paragraphs  is  constructed  the  best?  Why?  Are  the 
paragraphs  connected  smoothly  and  naturally?  Show 
how  each  grows  out  of  the  other. 

2.  A  Sure  "Sentence  Sense." 

Reinforce  here  the  effort  to  cultivate  (i)  a  sense  of 
unity;  (2)  a  sense  of  subordination;  and  (3)  a  sense  of 
quotation.  The  especial  aim  of  all  these  is  to  help  pupils 
construct  clear  sentences.  The  senses  of  modification  and 
of  emphasis  will  be  given  more  definite  attention  in  the 
eighth  grade. 

3.  A  Rich  and  Ready  Vocabulary. 

Overcoming  the  "  slang  habit"  by  helping  the  pupil  find 
alive  and  useful  words,  has  been  the  aim  here.  The 
* 'dictionary  habit"  should  be  reinforced  and  an  accurate 
use  of  words  encouraged. 


258 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

4.    The  Spirit  of  Authorship. 

This  important  phase  of  the  work  has  just  been  dis- 
cussed. The  cultivation  of  appreciation  of  literature 
and  the  ability  to  produce  it  should  be  carried  forward 
throughout  the  high  school.  - 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS — THIRD  BOOK,  PAGES  175 
TO  418 

GENERAL  OUTLINE  AND  SUGGESTIONS 

The  course  planned  for  the  Eighth  Grade  is  divided 
between: 

1.  Socialized  Studies  in  Oral  and  Written  Composition. 

2.  A  Brief,  Practical  Course  in  Grammar. 

The  following  is  a  general  outline  of  the  work  with 
general  directions  for  carrying  out  the  course. 

Socialized  Studies  in  Composition 

Maximum:  Exercises  100  to  120. 

Minimum:   Omit  Exercises  106,  107,  109,  115,  118. 

1.  Making  School  Newspapers. 

a.  The   reporter's   work — reporting   the   news- 

making  school  newspapers. 

b.  Editor's  work — writing  editorials. 

c.  Debating  live  questions,  and  talks  on  current 

topics. 

2.  Creating  Original  Stories. 

a.  Story  studies. 

b.  Dramatizing  stories. 

c.  Telling  and  writing  stories. 

259 


26o LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS       

3.  Tales  of  Travel. 

a.  Travel  talks. 

b.  Sketch  books. 

c.  Letters  and  diaries. 

4.  Recreation. 

a.  Favorite  pastimes. 

b.  "Hobbies." 

c.  Leisure  hour  books. 

5.  Songs  and  Speeches. 

a.  Creating  class  songs. 

b.  Making  public  addresses. 

Course  in  Practical  Grammar 

Maximum:   Exercises  121  to  235*. 

Minimum:  Omit  Exercises  140,  141,  142,  143,  146,  147, 
148,  149,  159,  165,  167,  168,  169,  178,  187,  188,  189,  194,  196, 
226,  235. 

Section  I.    Studies  in  Sentence  Structure 
i.    Sentence  Building. 

a.  The  sentence  as  the  language  unit.    Drill  for 

sentence  completeness. 

b.  Word  groups  within  sentences.   Emphasize  unity 

of  the  word  group. 

c.  Kinds  of  word  groups — phrases,  clauses.    Also 

teach  idioms  here. 

d.  Base  of  the  sentence.    Drill  on  finding  "core 

thought"  of  sentence. 

.    2.    Predicative  Verbs. 

a.  Transitive  and   intransitive   verbs   clearly   dis- 
tinguished. 
*Advanced  Book,  Part  Three,  Exercises  i  to  115. 


EIGHTH    GRADE   LANGUAGE 261 

b.  Kinds  of  intransitive  verbs — linking  and  com- 

plete.  The  choice  of  adjective  or  adverb  after 
these  verbs. 

c.  Kinds  of  transitive  verbs — active  and  passive. 

Make  clear  the  effect  of  the  change  of  the 
voice  of  the  verb. 

d.  Direct  objects  and  other  substantives  following 

active  verbs. 

3.   Review  Lessons  in  Sentence  Structure  and  Sentence 
Building. 

Section  II.    The  Parts  of  Speech  in  Use 

4.  Parts  of  Speech  as  Sentence  Elements. 

5.  Study  of  Substantives. 

a.  Nouns  in  use:    Number  forms  with  collective 

nouns.    Spelling  of  genitive  case  forms.    Capi- 
talization of  proper  nouns. 

b.  Pronouns.  Keeping  the  antecedent  clear.   Choos- 

ing the  right  forms  of  pronouns. 

6.  The  Verb  in  Use. 

a.  Study  of  the  verb  as  the  life-giving  element. 

b.  Predicative  and  non-predicative  verbs  compared. 

The  use  of  verb  forms  in  asserting,  assuming, 
and  suggesting  action. 

c.  Practical    study    of    participles,    gerunds,    and 

infinitives. 

7.  Adjectives  in  Use. 

a.  Study  of  the  adjective  as  the  descriptive  element. 


262 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

b.  Drills  in  proper  use  of  number  forms  with  limiting 
adjectives. 

8.  Adverbs,   Prepositions,   Conjunctions,   and   Interjec- 

tions in  Use. 

a.  Applied  lessons  on  these  various  parts  of  speech. 

b.  Exercises  and  drills  to  fix  habit  of  using  them. 

Section  III.    Inflections 

9.  Practical  Study  of  Inflections. 

a.  Inflections  reduced   to  lowest   terms.     Rule  of 

agreement. 

b.  Various  inflections  studied.    Drills  on  trouble- 

some forms. 

10.    Lessons  and  Drills  on  Troublesome  Auxiliary  Verbs 
and  Principal  Parts  of  Verbs  Commonly  Misused. 

Points  to  Guide  Teachers 

1.  About  two-fifths  of  the  time  should  be  given  to  the 
socialized  studies  in  composition  work;  three-fifths  to 
practical  grammar. 

2.  It  seems  wisest  not  to  divide  this  time,  as  is  usually 
done,  two  days  per  week  to  composition,  three  to  gram- 
mar.   Better  results  will  come  from  following  such  a 
suggestive  program  as  is  here  offered  for  general  guidance: 

Composition:  The  newspaper.  News  writing.  Talks  on 
current  events.  Making  a  school  paper.  Exercises  100-103 
inclusive.  Time:  Four  weeks. 

Grammar:  Studies  in  sentence  building.  Exercises  121-149. 
Time:  Seven  weeks. 

Composition:   Story  writing.    Exercises   108-110.     Recrea- 
^  tion.   Exercises  115-117.   Time:  Three  weeks. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 263 

Grammar:  Parts  of  speech  in  use.  Exercises  150-207.  Time: 
Eight  weeks. 

Composition:  The  newspaper.  Editorials,  and  debating  on 
live  questions.  Making  a  special  edition.  Exercises  104- 
107.  Time:  Three  weeks. 

Grammar:   Inflections.      Exercises    208-235.      Time:  Five      : 
weeks. 

Composition:  Talks  and  sketches  of  travel.  Exercises 
111-114.  Closing  words.  Exercises  118-120.  Time:  Two 
weeks. 

Grammar  Reviews :   Four  weeks. 

•, 
Composition  Reviews :   Three  weeks. 

The  foregoing  program  should  be  adapted,  of  course, 
to  fit  local  conditions.  It  will  be  necessary  in  short-term 
schools  to  reduce  the  time  allotted  to  the  work. 

Special  Aims  for  the  Eighth  Grade 

1.  Fluency  with  Accuracy  is  the  slogan. 

The  central  purpose  of  the  course  is  still  to  give  the 
pupils  vital  practice  in  expressing  themselves  on  worth- 
while subjects  close  to  their  lives.  The  pupils  should  be 
encouraged  to  express  themselves  freely.  Greater  accu- 
racy, however,  should  be  exacted. 

2.  Grammar  should  now  be  emphasized  clearly  as  a 
separate  study. 

A  brief,  practical  course  to  round  out  and  clinch  the 
language-grammar  lessons  and  drills  previously  given  is 
provided.  This  study  of  grammar  is  vitalized,  not 
formalized. 


264  LIVE  LANGUAGE   LESSONS 

Helps  in  Composition  Work 

The  course  in  composition  planned  for  the  eighth 
grade  provides  a  series  of  practical  projects  as  follows: 

1.  Creating  school  newspapers. 

2.  Debating  live  topics. 

3.  Writing  and  telling  stories. 

4.  Giving  travel  talks  and  writing  letters  of  travel. 

5.  Discussing  leisure  hour  " hobbies"  and  recreation. 

6.  Preparing  speeches  for  school  and  other  audiences. 

The  studies  are  purposely  left  flexible.  Eighth  grade 
pupils  should  be  able  somewhat  successfully  to  choose 
within  easy  limits  their  own  subjects  and  projects,  and 
work  these  out  along  original  lines.  Initiative  and 
vitality  may  thus  be  cultivated. 

This  suggestion  of  liberty  in  expression  must  not  be 
taken  to  mean  license.  It  is  essential  that  the  class  be 
kept  within  certain  well  defined  boundaries,  if  sub- 
stantial progress  is  to  be  made.  This  necessary  direction 
is  provided  for  in  the  course  as  given  in  the  text.  A  few 
further  suggestions  to  mark  the  plan  more  plainly  for 
both  teacher  and  pupil  are  given  in  the  following  helps. 

Standards  of  Attainment 

Composition 

Pupils  are  ready  for  promotion  from  the  eighth  grade 
when  they  show  in  their  everyday  speech  and  writing: 

i.  Ability  to  build  a  clear  unified  paragraph  on  some  vital 
topic  close  to  their  lives.  The  following  uncorrected  examples 
taken  from  eighth  grade  pupils  show  "A"  grade  work: 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  265 

WHY  I  AM  GLAD  I  LIVE  IN  AMERICA 
I  am  glad  I  am  in  America  because  in  America  everyone  is  equal. 
We  do  not  have  to  pay  taxes  to  support  an  army  that  kills  women  and 
children.  We  have  free  schools  and  every  privilege  a  person  can  want. 
Every  person  has  a  chance  to  rise.  In  America  it's  not  where  you  came 
from,  it's  you. 

WILLIAM  PENN'S  HOUSE 

Wm.  Penn's  house  is  located  in  Fairmont  Park  near  the  zoo.  It  is  a 
small  red  brick  structure  with  a  large  grass  plat  around  it  and  a  gravel 
walk  leading  to  it  near  it  is  a  pump.  Inside  there  is  a  cement  floor. 

A  casual  observer  could  see  at  a  glance  that  it  was  just  as  clean  as 
when  Mrs.  Penn  took  care  of  it  herself.  The  white  finished  wood  across 
the  gable  is  spotless.  Out  of  one  slanting  side  of  the  roof  is  a  chimney 
of  red  brick.  From  a  short  distance  away  it  looks  neat  and  makes  a 
pleasant  contrast  against  a  blue  cloudless  sky. 

2.  Ability  to   organize   a  composition  of  several  para- 
graphs.   Following  is  a  carefully  prepared  product  from  the 
eighth  grade: 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY  OF  A  WATCH 

"Tick,  tock,  tick,  tock,"  say  I  in  the  morning  when  I  have  been 
wound  up. 

I  am  a  poor  dollar  watch  with  a  nickel-plated  back,  rather  battered 
and  rubbed.  But  I  am  still  alive,  as  you  can  tell  by  the  way  my  heart 
beats. 

My  glass-covered  face  has  been  smashed  a  number  of  times.  Some- 
how I  managed  to  brave  the  operation  of  putting  on  a  new  glass  epider- 
mis, and  I  am  now  as  well  as  ever. 

I  admit  I  am  very  good  looking,  for  I  have  fine  clean-cut  hands,  an 
honest,  open-hearted  face,  with  a  bright  little  second  hand  continually 
keeping  up  with  the  time. 

I  am  everybody's  friend,  for  I  tell  the  children  in  school  when  they 
may  go,  and  also  give  the  men  and  women,  working  in  large  factories, 
their  permission  to  go  after  a  hard  day  of  work. 

Now,  my  friends,  thinking  I  have  told  you  enough  of  myself,  I  will 
continue  in  my  pursuit  of  Father  Time. 

3.  Ability  to  write  a  neat  and   business-like   business 
letter,  an  interesting  and  correct  friendly  letter,  a  brief  news 
story,  or  a  short  editorial  on  a  vital  topic. 


266 LIVE   LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

4.  Ability  to  make  a  little  travel  talk,  to  tell  a  short  story, 
or  to  give  a  little  speech  on  some  subject  of  interest. 

GENERAL  STUDY  ONE— MAKING  THE 
SCHOOL  NEWSPAPER 

Here  is  a  project  with  a  challenging  appeal.  It  offers 
an  opportunity  for  vitalized  composition  work  in  the 
following  lines: 

1 .  Reporting  news. 

2.  Writing  editorials. 

3.  Creating  cartoons. 

4.  Working  out  advertisements. 

5.  Writing  poems  and  feature  stories. 

The  beginnings  of  news  writing  are  comprehended  in 
the  project.  In  working  it  out  the  pupils  should  gain  a 
keener  appreciation  of  the  work  of  the  press.  They 
should  develop  some  ability  also  to  write  news  stories, 
editorials,  and  other  journalistic  compositions. 

The  work  should  not  be  carried  too  far  at  this  time. 
Only  an  informal  study  of  the  journalistic  art,  reinforced 
by  some  elementary  work  in  creating  newspapers,  should 
be  attempted  in  the  eighth  grade.  More  thorough  work 
along  this  line  can  be  done  in  the  senior  high  school. 

The  following  are  some  things  that  have  been  done 
with  excellent  results  by  eighth  grades  in  certain  schools: 

1.  Reporting  school  news  regularly  for  the  local  papers. 

2.  Creating  manuscript  or  typewritten  newspapers  once 
a  week  or  once  a  month. 

3.  Creating  and  printing  special  issues  of  the  newspapers 
once  a  quarter  or  once  a  year. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  267 

The  first  effort  should  be  directed  towards  awakening 
a  live  interest  in  the  work  of  the  reporters.  The  text 
opens  the  way  for  this  to  be  well  done. 

Following  the  study  of  Exercises  100,  101  and  102,  let 
the  pupils  either  visit  a  news  plant  or  bring  in  clippings 
of  news  stories. 

In  succeeding  lessons,  they  may  be  given  opportunity 
to  create  a  little  newspaper  for  themselves  by: 

1.  Playing  the  part  of  real  reporters  gathering  and  writing 
real  news. 

2.  Practicing  the  art  of  telling  a  news  story. 

3.  Selecting  and  arranging  in  best  form  the  stories  they 
write. 

The  following  account  of  a  visit  to  a  newspaper  plant 
is  by  an  eighth  grade  pupil.  It  shows  clearly  the  keen  in- 
terest of  pupils  in  this  kind  of  work. 

THE  NEWSPAPER  PRESS 

Having  arrived  at  the  newspaper  building,  our  excellent  guide  took 
us  to  the  press  room. 

A  big  roll  of  plain  paper  weighing  around  1,800  pounds  was  lifted  to 
two  arms  reaching  out  from  the  press.  This  work  is  done  by  a  crane, 
built  into  the  press,  which  is  worked  by  hand.  The  loose  end  of  the 
paper  is  shoved  over  a  rod  and  down  around  a  huge  roller  with  the  casts 
on  it,  then  pulled  up  over  some  rods  and  over  another  huge  roller  with 
the  cas^s  on  it.  This  last  roller  prints  the  opposite  side  of  the  paper  from 
the  side  the  first  roller  prints 

It  then  slides,  evenly,  over  two  diagonally  placed  bars  to  take  the 
paper  from  one  side  of  the  machine  to  the  other.  It  then  slides  over  a 
triangular  piece  of  steel.  This  finds  the  middle  of  the  paper.  The  paper 
is  now  run  between  two  rollers  which  crease  it.  The  rollers  are  directly 
under  the  triangle.  These  rollers  fold  the  paper  exactly  right.  A  roller 
that  has  two  blades  on  it  turns  a  half  revolution  tor  every  sheet  of  paper. 
This  cuts  the  printed  newspaper.  Some  steel  fingers  get  the  newspaper 
and  pull  it  on  some  leather  straps  which  pull  it  out  to  a  waiting  man. 
Every  fiftieth  paper  comes  about  two  inches  higher  than  the  others.  The 


268  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

man  takes  them  fifty  at  a  time  and  puts  them  on  a  truck.  This  is  the 
way  they  count  them. 

The  green  sheet  is  slid  right  over  the  rest  of  the  paper  at  the  end,  that 
is,  it's  folded  and  cut  with  the  other  paper. 

There  is  an  ink  trough  for  every  printing  roller.  The  ink  is  pressed 
on  to  a  leather  covered  roller  and  is  transferred  on  to  about  five  rollers 
in  turn  till  it  comes  to  the  printing  roller.  So  the  ink  will  be  even,  they 
have  these  rollers.  If  you  dip  your  finger  into  the  ink  and  then  hold 
your  finger  straight  up  and  down,  the  ink  won't  run  it  is  so  thick. 

The  World-Herald  has  three  presses,  with  one  for  the  Comic  part  of 
the  Sunday  paper.  On  Sunday  about  three  carloads  of  paper  is  used. 
If  one  of  the  presses  gets  out  of  order  the  other  press  is  started  imme- 
diately. — Paul  L.  Hoffman. 


GENERAL  STUDY  TWO— CREATING 
ORIGINAL  STORIES 

Another  study  of  compelling  interest  is  offered  here. 
That  boys  and  girls  are  always  eager  for  created  stories, 
is  shown  by  their  intense  interest  in  the  "movies,"  in 
fiction,  and  in  the  drama.  This  interest  may  be  turned 
to  good  account  in  language  work. 

A  teacher  of  English  was  visiting  the  schools  in  a 
mining  camp  recently.  He  was  taken  into  an  eighth 
grade  made  up  entirely  of  foreign  children. 

"These  boys  and  girls  are  very  unresponsive,"  the  teacher 
quietly  informed  the  visitor;  "It  is  almost  impossible  to  get 
them  to  talk." 

The  visitor  had  a  feeling  that  every  pupil  would  express 
himself,  if  the  teacher  struck  the  line  of  the  pupil's  liveliest 
interest. 

"What  do  you  boys  and  girls  do  here  to  have  fun?"  came 
his  first  question  to  the  class. 

"Go  to  the  '  mo  vies'  "  came  the  quick  response. 

"What  play  have  you  seen  lately  that  you  liked?" 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 269 

"The  Black  Glove,"  said  one  girl;  "The  Copper  Claw," 
shouted  a  boy. 

"What  is  'The  Black  Glove'  about?" 

The  Italian  lassie's  dark  eyes  sparkled  as  she  stood  up 
and  began  vividly  to  picture  the  play  that  had  recently 
thrilled  her.  Then  the  boy  followed  with  his  story  of  "The 
Copper  Claw." 

Their  language  was  full  of  "The  man  he,"  "This 
here,"  "That  there"  and  other  slips  in  language.  But 
they  told  their  stories  fairly  well;  and  they  revealed  at 
the  same  time  their  story  tastes.  Here  was  a  golden 
opportunity  tactfully  to  slip  in  suggestions  to  guide  their 
tastes  aright. 

The  moral  is  plain :  Teachers  should  help  pupils  to  an 
appreciation  of  choice  stories.  This  help  can  best  be 
given  in  two  ways : 

1.  Lead  them  to  tell  of  the  stories  they  like  best. 

2.  Give  them  a  chance  to  create  stories. 

There  are  rich  opportunities  in  the  latter  type  of 
exercise  for  cultivating  the  spirit  of  authorship. 

Beside  following  the  suggestions  in  the  text,  lead  the 
pupils  to  try  their  hand  at  making  scenarios  or  in  creat- 
ing little  plays  for  their  own  and  others  entertainment. 

GENERAL    STUDY    THREE— TRAVEL    TALKS 
AND   SKETCHES 

A  good  way  to  open  this  project  interestingly  is  to 
make  an  outline  map  of  our  country  on  the  board. 


270  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


Then  ask:  Where  have  you  traveled  in  our  own  land? 

Let  the  pupils  each  indicate  by  lines  or  dots  the  trips 
they  have  taken.  It  is  often  surprising  how  many  places 
in  our  land  and  even  in  foreign  lands  have  been  visited 
by  pupils  in  any  given  class. 

What  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  sights  you  have 
seen  in  traveling? 

This  question  practically  always  brings  a  ready  re- 
sponse, and  leads  to  an  exchange  of  more  or  less  delight- 
ful travel  experiences. 

The  suggestion  in  Exercise  in  will  serve  further  to 
draw  out  the  pupils  and  open  up  the  project  fully.  Fol- 
lowing the  directions  in  the  text,  the  work  may  then  be 
carried  forward  easily  step  by  step  to  these  desired 
results: 

1.  Travel  talks  by  each  pupil. 

2.  Sketch  books  on  travel,  either  by  the  class  working 
together,  or  by  individual  pupils  each  working  out  a  booklet. 

3.  Diaries  of  travel. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 271 

4.  Real  letters  of  travel,  business  correspondence,  and 
telegrams. 

A  month  of  practical  work  may  be  given,  if  time 
permits,  to  this  work.  The  study  offers  a  rich  oppor- 
tunity for  motivated  practice  in  speech  and  in  writing. 

Planning  the  Talks 

To  make  a  good  outline  the  pupil  should  choose  an 
apt  title. 

The  effort  here  should  be  to  get  something  which 
attracts  and  at  the  same  time  suggests  the  center  of  the 
talk.  For  example:  The  Niagara  of  the  West;  Around 
the  Alamo;  Rip  Van  Winkle's  Land;  The  Dead  Sea  of 
America. 

Then  mark  plainly  the  steps  to  be  taken  in  develop- 
ing the  subject.  For  illustration: 

Around  the  Alamo 

a.  What  is  the  Alamo?    Brief  explanation  of  the  old 
mission. 

b.  What  made  the  Alamo  famous?   Read  the  story  of  the 
Alamo. 

c.  The  historic  shrine  as  it  is  to-day. 

d.  Other  historic  places  near  the  Alamo. 

Various  plans  may  be  followed  in  arranging  such  a  talk. 
The  pupils  should  take  their  own  lead,  being  tactfully 
guided  by  the  teacher  to  bring  out  their  own  pictures  and 
thoughts  in  order  and  to  give  them  personal  interest 
touches.  The  talk  should  be  illustrated,  if  possible,  with 
drawings  and  pictures. 


272 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Some  Excellent  Results 

The  members  of  a  certain  eighth  grade  class  were  led 
to  tell  of  their  travel  experiences.  Practically  every  pupil 
had  taken  a  trip  to  some  interesting  place.  One  boy 
told  of  his  visit  to  the  Panama  Exposition.  For  several 
days  he  worked,  gathering  and  organizing  his  materials, 
and  arranging  pictures  to  illustrate  his  talk. 

He  gave  his  little  lecture  with  considerable  nervous- 
ness. His  teacher  felt  that  he  had  all  but  failed;  and  the 
boy's  father,  who  was  present,  was  not  sure  that  the 
result  was  worth  the  effort. 

Afterwards  the  boy  made  a  trip  with  his  parents 
through  the  Yellowstone.  During  the  journey  the  boy 
was  greatly  interested  in  gathering  pictures.  One  night 
after  returning,  the  father  came  home  just  about  dusk 
and  found  about  twenty-five  people,  old  and  young,  on 
the  lawn  back  of  the  house.  There,  between  the  maple 
trees,  was  hung  a  white  sheet.  His  boy  stood  with  a 
pointer,  while  a  younger  brother  was  throwing  pictures 
on  the  screen.  The  neighbors  and  their  children  were 
being  taken  on  a  trip  through  the  Yellowstone  Park  by 
these  boys. 

When  the  show  was  over  the  boy  said  to  his  father, 
"  You  know,  daddy,  I  don't  think  it  is  fair  for  us  to  have 
had  such  a  wonderful  trip  unless  we  share  it  with  some- 
body." 

Another  instance  comes  from  a  class  which  was 
having  imaginary  journeys.  Led  by  their  teacher,  who 
had  traveled  widely,  these  pupils  had  worked  out  rather 
interesting  fanciful  trips  over  all  the  world. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  273 

A  visitor,  asked  to  speak  to  the  children,  said,  "I  am 
wondering  whether  you  boys  and  girls  haven't  taken  some 
real  trips.  How  many  of  you  have  always  lived  in  this 
state?" 

Only  two  hands  were  raised.  Thirty-five  pupils  were  in 
the  class. 

"Where  have  you  lived?" 

The  pupils  began  to  tell.  Twenty-seven  different  states 
and  four  foreign  countries  were  named. 

"Have  you  ever  told  one  another  of  the  real  trips  you 
have  taken?  " 

"Oh,  no,  we  had  to  tell  of  imaginary  journeys." 

"Well,  your  imaginary  sketches  are  good.  I  think,  how- 
ever, that  you  might  do  even  better  if  you  described  real 
scenes,  don't  you?" 

A  year  later  the  visitor  returned.  The  teacher  had 
gone  to  another  school.  She  had  left,  however,  some- 
thing to  show  clearly  that  the  suggestion  had  been  taken 
seriously.  A  beautiful  booklet  of  travel  sketches  was 
presented  to  the  visitor.  It  had  been  produced  by  the 
class;  every  pupil  having  contributed  one  sketch  illus- 
trated with  drawings,  post  cards,  or  kodak  pictures.  The 
title  of  the  booklet  artistically  done  on  the  cover  was: 
"Our  Own  Trail." 

GENERAL   STUDY   FOUR— RECREATION 
One  of  the  most  serious  problems  to  be  solved  by 
parents  and  teachers  is  how  to  train  boys  and  girls  to  fill 
their  leisure  hours  both  pleasurably  and  profitably. 
Here  is  a  helpful  project  leading  to  that  desired  result. 
Pupils,  stimulated  to  talk  of  their  pastimes  and  their 
hobbies,  can  help  one  another  find  wholesome  fun  and 


274 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

real  education  through  proper  play.  Excellent  oral  and 
written  expression  grows  out  of  this  work.  It  is  of  vital 
interest,  and  so  flexible  as  to  give  opportunity  for  many 
different  kinds  of  work  on  various  subjects.  The  follow- 
ing are  some  of  the  language  results  that  may  come  from 
the  study: 

1.  Descriptions  of  plays  and  games. 

2.  Story  hours. 

3.  Talks  on  favorite  books  and  authors. 

4.  Talks  on  inventions. 

5.  Letter  writing  to  companions  and  friends. 

6.  Making  of  leisure  hour  booklets. 

It  is  not  expected  that  the  pupils  shall  take  more  than 
one,  or  at  most,  two  subjects.  The  effort  should  be  to  get 
each  to  find  the  subject  on  which  he  can  best  express 
himself  and  develop  it  fully. 

Suppose,  for  example,  a  boy  has  a  keen  interest  in  base- 
ball. Let  him  make  a  baseball  book.  In  this  he  might : 

1.  Sketch  briefly  the  history  of  the  national  game. 

2.  Describe  the  game  itself. 

3.  Report  some  game  he  has  watched. 

4.  Gather  pictures  of  famous  players,  and  of  baseball 
scenes. 

5.  Tell  of  some  lively  game  he  has  had  with  his  com- 
panions, or  between  his  school  and  another. 

Suppose  a  girl  is  greatly  interested  in  the  "Girls' 
Camp-Fire  Club,"  let  her  make  a  booklet  bringing  out 
the  activities  and  the  fun  of  this  club. 

In  this  she  might  give: 

i.  A  statement  telling  of  the  history  and  purposes  of  the 
organization. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 275 

2.  The  rules  of  the  club. 

3.  Report  of  some  camp-fire  outing  she  has  enjoyed. 

4.  Songs  and  games. 

5.  Fireside  fun  at  home  for  camp-fire  girls. 

The  teacher's  part  is  to  help  the  pupil  organize 
his  materials.  Training  him  to  express  himself  in  a 
straight  line  is  still  the  main  objective.  Planning  his 
talks  and  making  a  leisure-hour  book,  Exercise  117, 
will  give  him  good  practice  in  systematizing  his  thoughts 
and  materials. 

Three  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  this  general  study . 

GENERAL  STUDY  FIVE— CLOSING  WORDS 

This  project  is  planned  principally  for  the  close  of  the 
eighth  grade  course.  At  that  time  the  giving  of  pro- 
grams easily  motivates  the  study.  At  any  time  during 
the  year,  however,  the  study  may  be  made  vital  and 
valuable. 

The  fundamental  principles  of  effective  speech  are 
suggested  in  the  study  These  principles  may  be  prac- 
ticed not  only  during  commencement  days,  but  through- 
out the  year,  in  the  following  ways: 

Through  Organizing  Young  Citizens'  Clubs 
Let  pupils  here  first  talk  of  some  worthy  work  boys 
and  girls  might  do  for  their  community  or  school  by 
organizing,  as:  "The  Clean-up  Club",  or  "The  Willing 
Workers",  or  "The  Good  Health  Club",  or  "The  Better 
Speech  Club."  In  these  names  are  suggested  the  object 
of  such  a  club. 


276  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Next  let  them  organize  such  a  club  as  they  choose. 
They  should  learn  here  how  to  make  a  motion,  how  to 
elect  a  chairman  and  secretary,  how  to  appoint  a  com- 
mittee to  draft  a  constitution  and  by-laws. 

A  third  lesson  would  be  the  adoption  of  the  constitu- 
tion and  by-laws  and  the  electing  of  officers. 

When  the  organization  is  effected  its  activities  may 
be  turned  into  various  vital  channels;  as, 

1.  Debating  live  topics.    See  those  in  the  text,  Exercise 
105- 

2.  Giving  and  conducting  class  programs.    Pupils  should 
be  given  opportunity  to  preside  occasionally,  and  also  to  plan 
their  own  programs  for  various  occasions. 

3.  Discussing  current  events.    Ten  or  fifteen  minutes 
each  day  may  be  very  profitably  given  to  the  reporting  of 
events  of  importance.  The  pupils  should  take  turns  in  giving 
these  reports.    Use  "Current  Events,"  or  "The  Literary 
Digest,"  or  some  other  worthy  publication  to  guide  this 
work. 

4.  A  cartoon  program.   Pupils  here  should  be  led  to  bring 
to  school  some  choice  cartoon  on  a  current  event,  and  to 
explain  its  significance. 

5.  Good  jokes.   The  telling  of  choice  clean  jokes  should 
be  encouraged.    Such  practice  is  not  only  a  good  language 
exercise,  but  it  cultivates  the  sense  of  humor. 

6.  Making  addresses  on  special  occasions.    Brief  talks 
for  Labor  Day,  Hallowe'en,  Thanksgiving,  Christmas,  the 
birthdays  of  Washington,  Lincoln,  Roosevelt,  Columbus, 
and  various  other  people  who  should  be  remembered,  may  be 
made  by  pupils. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  277 

Say  one  thing  at  a  time  and  say  it  clearly  is  a  good 
slogan  for  the  work.  Pupils  will  gain  skill  to  make  one 
point  clearly  as  they  build  sentences  into  unified  para- 
graphs, into  unified  oral  and  written  compositions. 

GRAMMAR 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS— THIRD  BOOK,  PART  II* 

Live  Language  Lessons  provide  a  Climbing  Course  in 
Grammar.  Each  grade  is  given  some  part  in  the  work, 
the  lessons  being  adapted  to  the  pupil's  ability  to  master 
them.  The  following  outline  gives  the  main  steps  in 
the  course: 

Primary  Grades:   First,  Second,  and  Third. 

Vitalized  Language  Games  dealing  with  the  simpler  type 
trouble-makers  in  speech. 

Intermediate  Grades:   Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth. 

Tables  of  Correct  Usage.  Lessons  and  drills  to  train  the 
tongue  are  here  given  on  the  forms  that  commonly  are  mis- 
used. 

Simple  Sentence  Studies,  The  Parts  of  Speech,  and 
Number  and  Possessive  Forms,  also,  are  taught  in  a  practical 
way. 

Grammar  Grades :   Seventh  and  Eighth. 

The  Five  Senses  in  Sentence  Building — Unity,  sub- 
ordination, modification,  transposition,  and  quotation — are 
dealt  with  here. 

A  Brief  Course  in  Practical  Grammar  is  given  to  round 
out  and  reinforce  the  work. 
*Also  Advanced  Book,  Part  Three. 


278 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


The  following  charts  show  in  graphic  form  the  general 
plan: 

Grades 

A  CLIMBING  COURSE 


IN 

APPLIED 
GRAMMAR 


11 


to 


Grammar 
Applied 
In  Com- 
position and 
Interpretation 
of  Classics 


Thorough  Review 

of  Fundamentals 

of  Grammar 


Systematic  Course  in 
Applied  Grammar 


Studies  and  Exercises  in 

Sentence  Building  and 

Correct  Usage 


Beginning    Studies    in 

Sentence  Structure  and 

the  Parts  of  Speech 


Lessons  and  Drills  on 
"The  Twelve  Tables  of  Correct 
Usage" 


Vitalized  Language  Games 

and 

Exercises  to  Overcome  Common 

Errors  and  Fix  Right  Habits 

of  Speech 


NOTE:   The  Curved  Lines  Indicate  the  Change  in  Emphasis  Given 
to  the  Three  Main  Phases  of  Grammar 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


279 


2_8o LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

A  New  Point  of  View 

Grammar  can  be  most  effectively  taught  only  when 
teachers  generally  see  the  subject  from  the  right  view- 
point. 

Two  opposing  schools  of  thought  have  been  developed 
regarding  this  subject.  The  formalists  insist  on  teach- 
ing technical  grammar  in  practically  all  of  the  grades 
from  chart  class  to  college.  The  expressionists  all  but 
eliminate  the  study  of  formal  grammar  from  the  cur- 
riculum. Neither  of  these  extreme  views  can  be  entirely 
right.  The  truth  seems  to  lie  both  between  and  ahead  of 
them. 

Both  less,  and  better  grammar  is  the  thing  demanded. 
A  well  organized  course  in  the  essentials  of  the  subject, 
taught  from  the  applied  viewpoint,  must  be  given  if  the 
pupil  is  to  get  a  sound  building  up  in  language. 

An  incident  from  actual  schoolroom  practice  will  give  a 
concrete  example  of  the  working  of  this  method. 

It  happened  last  spring  that  a  visitor  was  questioning 
a  certain  class  on  grammar.  The  following  is  almost 
a  verbatim  report: 

"What  are  some  of  the  things  you  study  in  grammar?  " 

"Parts  of  speech,"  came  a  quick  response. 

"Name  one  of  them." 

"Adjectives." 

"What  is  an  adjective?" 

"Word  that  modifies  a  noun  or  pronoun." 

"What  is  the  adjective  good  for  in  speech?" 

"Good  to  modify  a  noun  or  pronoun." 

"Do  you  use  it?" 

"Guess  so." 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  281 

"Give  an  example  of  the  adjective." 

"Red,  yellow,  blue,  green." 

Every  reply  showed  clearly  that  the  pupils  had  never 
thought  of  an  adjective  outside  of  the  textbook.  Their 
knowledge  of  grammar  was  formalized  book  learning,  nothing 
more. 

"You  live  in  a  rich  apple  growing  country,"  suggested  the 
visitor.  "What  kind  of  apples  are  grown  here?" 

"Jonathans,"  said  one. 

"Delicious,"  said  another. 

"What  is  the  difference  between  the  Jonathan  and  the 
Delicious  apple?" 

The  pupils  began  to  contrast  and  compare  these  varieties 
of  apples.  An  applied  lesson  in  adjectives  was  the  result. 

"  Suppose  you  wished  to  advertise  your  apples,  what  sort 
of  advertisement  might  you  work  out?  Wouldn't  you  like  to 
try  that  as  an  exercise  on  adjectives  for  to-morrow?" 

The  pupils  were  eager  to  get  at  the  work.  Their 
lesson  had  been  made  to  vibrate;  the  facts  had  carried 
over  into  the  realm  of  real  life.  Every  lesson  must  be  so 
taught  if  it  is  to  bring  results  worth  while. 

The  Vitalizing  Principle 

The  fundamental  principle  in  all  effective  teaching  is 
made  clear  by  the  foregoing  discussion  and  illustration 
from  the  classroom.  It  is  not  enough  merely  to  teach 
facts  and  formal  rules;  these  facts  must  function 
through  life  application  to  be  made  vital  and  useful. 

To  illuminate  this  point  by  an  analogy :  An  electrician 
may  string  the  wires  and  place  the  fixtures  and  bulbs  in  a 
building.  All  these  are  useless  until  the  electric  current 
is  turned  through  the  lamps.  In  the  teaching  process 


282  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

the  essential  thing  is  not  only  to  present  the  facts  and 
principles  clearly  but  to  connect  them  constantly  with 
life. 

Live  Language  Drills 

Facts,  rules,  and  principles  are  well  taught  only  when 
they  are  fixed  by  life-giving  exercises.  The  fatal  fault  in 
formalistic  teaching  lies  in  its  failure  to  clinch  principles 
with  everyday  practice.  The  hit-and-miss  method  of  the 
expressionist  fails  likewise  because  of  its  failure  to 
clinch  life  practice  with  fundamental  principles.  Right 
language  habits  can  be  fixed  only  as  the  essential  facts 
and  rules  are  driven  home  by  well  directed,  practical 
drills. 

The  live  language  drill  system  is  simple  and  effective. 
Besides  the  practical  exercises  given  with  every  lesson, 
it  constantly  gives  applied  drills  that  carry  the  lessons 
beyond  the  text  into  the  life  uses  of  language.  The  fol- 
lowing directions  are  typical  assignments: 

1.  Bring  to  class  a  paragraph  made  up  of  clearly  con- 
structed sentences,  dealing  with  a  topic  you  are  studying  in 
history,  geography,  or  some  other  study. 

2.  Compose  ten  sentences,   each  of  which   contains  a 
phrase  and  a  clause. 

3.  Find  and  copy  from  the  works  of  good  writers  five 
sentences  containing  idioms. 

4.  Find  elsewhere  three  sentences  containing  quotations, 
each  of  which  follows  the  main  verb;  three  in  each  of  which 
the  quotation  precedes  the  main  verb;  three  in  each  of  which 
the  quotation  is  divided  by  the  main  verb. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  283 

5.  Find  a  picturesque  sentence  in  the  writings  of  some 
noted  writer.   Omit  the  words  that  describe  and  let  the  class 
try  to  find  them. 

6.  Bring  to  class  five  sentences  from  your  reading,  the 
meaning  of  which  is  made  obscure  by  the  misplacement  of 
the  adjective,  and  give  the  correct  form  of  each  sentence. 

The  New  Nomenclature 

A  few  years  ago  Our  Country  was  at  sea  on  the  ques- 
tion of  grammatical  terms.  For  illustration,  several 
different  names  were  used  for  the  predicate  nominative. 
It  was  called  also  attribute  complement,  and  subjective 
complement.  The  National  Education  Association, 
cooperating  with  other  national  organizations,  in  an 
attempt  to  clear  away  this  unnecessary  trouble,  has 
adopted  a  uniform  nomenclature.  The  new  nomen- 
clature is  used  in  Live  Language  Lessons.  This  forward 
step  from  the  old  to  the  new  is  made  easy  in  the  texts  as 
old  terms  are  retained  in  footnotes.  Thus,  when  the 
name  " linking  verbs"  is  first  found,  (Exercise  131),  the 
footnote  says,  "Also  called  copulas."  Other  new  terms 
are  likewise  helpfully  introduced.  The  thought  is  to 
protect  the  pupils  and  teachers  until  the  new  order  of 
names  becomes  well  established. 

There  is  little  need,  however,  for  worry  about  learn- 
ing these  new  terms.  There  are  comparatively  few  to  be 
learned.  The  most  commonly  used  ones  are: 

Subject  substantive  for  simple  subject 

Linking  verbs  for  copulas 

Predicative  nominative)  for  attribute   or   subjective 

Predicate  adjective        j  complement 

Adjunct  accusative  for  objective  complement 


284 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Accusative  case  for  objective  case 

Genitive  case  for  possessive  case 

Determinative  clause  for  restrictive  clause 

Most  of  the  foregoing  terms,  indeed,  are  not  new. 
Accusative  and  genitive,  for  example,  are  used  con- 
stantly in  teaching  other  languages.  The  other  forms 
also  are  not  unfamiliar;  they  almost  explain  themselves. 

DIVISION    ONE.     PRACTICAL    SUGGESTIONS 

FOR  TEACHING  TYPE  LESSONS  IN 

GRAMMAR 

The  first  and  central  rule  for  the  effective  teaching 
not  only  of  grammar  but  of  other  subjects,  is  this: 
Teach  one  thing  at  a  time. 

Lack  of  unity  is  a  main  and  fatal  fault  in  most  lessons. 
Every  live  lesson  has  a  central  principle  in  it  to  be  de- 
veloped. The  business  of  the  teacher  is  to  help  pupils 
discover  and  understand  the  principle. 

The  second  practical  suggestion  naturally  grows  out 
of  the  first:  Find  the  essential  one  thing  in  every  lesson 
to  be  taught. 

The  essentials  to  be  kept  clear  in  teaching  the  various 
phases  of  grammar,  have  already  been  briefly  pointed  out 
in  the  outline  given  on  pages  259-262.  These  central 
objectives  will  be  brought  again  into  the  clear  in  con- 
nection with  the  following  type  lessons  in  grammar. 

Type  Lesson  i.     Sentence  Building 

Ask  any  class  this  question:  What  is  a  sentence? 
Practically  every  pupil  will  answer,  "A  sentence  is  a 
group  of  words  expressing  a  complete  thought." 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 285 

Then  ask  "What  do  you  mean  by  complete?"  The 
result  is  generally  a  jumble  of  answers  showing  plainly 
that  the  pupils  have  not  faced  squarely  the  essential 
part  of  the  definition.  They  have  learned  a  definition 
from  the  verbal  viewpoint. 

In  teaching  sentences,  the  essential  thing  is  to  lead  the 
pupils  to  feel  sentence  completeness.  This  is  the  main 
objective  in  the  opening  lesson  (Exercise  121).  The 
thought  there  is  expressed  in  various  ways  but  the 
essential  thing  kept  clear  throughout  is  this:  Each 
sentence  is  a  step  forward  in  thought  expression. 

To  make  the  pupil  really  feel  this  is  to  cultivate  a 
sure  sentence  sense.  The  pupils  should  have  little 
difficulty,  after  the  definite  lessons  in  sentence  building 
given  in  the  seventh  grade,  to  get  this  thought  clear. 
The  final  test,  however,  as  to  whether  they  have  it  will 
be  found  in  their  application  of  it  in  composition  work, 
oral  and  written.  The  following  samples  of  eighth  grade 
work  show  clearly  that  there  is  need  for  making  the  idea, 
"complete,"  carry  over  into  the  pupil's  own  sentence 
building. 

SHELL  FISHES 

Shell  fishes  lived  in  the  shallows  and  died  and  left  there  skeletons  in 
the  soft  mud.  The  sea  bottom  slowly  rose  and  land  appeared.  A  land  of 
marshes  and  forests  in  which  grew  great  ferns  and  trees  which  are  only 
found  now  in  far  south.  In  the  swampy  land  lived  great  lizards  some 
taller  then  elephants.  After  many  thousands  of  years  there  were  splendid 
oaks,  maples,  beeches,  and  willow  trees,  we  find  there  leaves  today 
pressed  and  printed  in  the  red  sandstone  rocks. 

A  RAINY  DAY 

It  is  a  rainy  day.  One  that  makes  you  feel  as  if  something  dreadful  is 
going  to  happen,  the  clouds  are  heavy  and  oppressing,  while  the  air 
is  full  of  mist  and  quite  chilly.  The  streets  glisten  with  the  preceding 
rain  which  has  made  everybody  dreary  to  their  very  bones. 


286 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Type  Lesson  2.    Word  Groups 

Sentences  are  made  up  of  various  elements.  They 
must  contain  substantives  and  verbs.  They  may  also 
contain  modifying  and  connective  and  independent 
elements.  These  different  elements  are  made  up  either 
of  single  words  or  of  groups  of  words. 

The  word  group  is  essentially  like  a  single  word  in  the 
function  it  performs.  This  unity,  or  oneness,  of  the 
word  group  is  the  essential  thing  to  be  kept  clear  in 
teaching  this  lesson.  Word  groups  may  be  either  phrases, 
clauses,  or  idioms,  a  special  kind  of  phrase.  Each  of  these 
groups,  however,  is  a  unit  in  sentence  building. 

A  good  working  knowledge  of  this  essential  is  neces- 
sary. Pupils  will  gain  facility  in  understanding  and  in 
handling  the  word  group  as  they  deal  with  it  from  this 
viewpoint.  The  senses  of  subordination,  of  modification, 
of  transposition,  and  of  quotation  will  be  cultivated  as 
this  lesson  is  made  clear. 

For  added  drill  the  following  and  other  like  exercises 
may  be  used: 

Enclose  in  marks  of  parenthesis  each  word  group  and 
underline  the  words  used  separately  in  the  following 
sentences,  taken  from  eighth  grade  compositions: 

1.  It  was  a  dry  hot  day.  The  smothering  wind  was  play- 
ing a  slow  hymn  in  the  dust  brown  grass. 

2.  The  white  snow  kept  piling  higher  and  higher  on  the 
housetops  and  walks. 

3.  People  trying  to  keep  cool  were  splashing  and  swim- 
ming in  the  water. 

4.  When  the  leaves  fluttered  down,  they  looked  like 
fairies  dancing  in  the  air. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  287 

5.  The  wind  swept  through  the  trees  with  a  shrill  screech 
like  that  of  some  infuriated  monster. 

6.  The  hydroplane  shot  forward  over  the  water  at  a 
thrilling  speed. 

7.  This  was  Washington's  headquarters  when  he  spent 
that  cold  winter  there  with  his  soldiers. 

Type  Lesson  3.     Idioms 

Idioms  are  given  special  attention  for  three  reasons: 
(i)  They  are  one  of  the  most  troublesome  forms  to  be 
met  with  in  sentence  structure;  (2)  The  idiom  is  a 
vitalizing  element  in  language  and  it  should  be  under- 
stood and  used  with  intelligence;  (3)  In  teaching  idioms 
the  essential  unity  of  the  word  group  is  best  shown. 

Type  Lesson  4.     Kinds  of  Sentences  According  to  Use 

One  thing  should  be  kept  clear  in  dealing  with  this 
lesson:  The  use  of  these  types  of  sentences  in  the 
language  of  life.  Generally  pupils  are  trained  to  name 
and  classify  sentences.  The  thought  is  seldom  driven 
home  that  language  effectiveness  depends  often  on 
whether  we  put  our  thoughts  in  the  form  of  a  declarative 
or  in  an  interrogative  form. 

Observe  that  the  new  nomenclature  is  used  here. 
Sentences  according  to  that  classification  are  first  of  all 
of  two  kinds — declarative  or  interrogative.  These  again 
may  each  be  either  exclamatory  or  non-exclamatory. 
The  text  explains  this  point  clearly. 

Type  Lesson  5.     Base  of  the  Sentence 
Every  well  built  sentence  says  one  main  thing.  To  be 
able  to  find  the  core  thought  in  any  sentence  is  to  be 
trained  in  sentence  unity.    This  training  is  made  vital 


288  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

when  it  is  turned  to  constructing  sentences  that  are  well 
unified. 

The  essential  point  to  keep  clear  in  this  lesson  is  sug- 
gested in  the  foregoing  paragraph.  Drill  on  finding  the 
base  of  the  sentence.  Use  not  only  the  exercises  found 
in  the  text  but  the  following  sentences  and  others,  if 
necessary,  to  make  sure  the  point  is  clinched. 

Underline  the  base  of  each  of  the  following  sentences : 

1.  The  sunlight  was  tipping  the  jagged  rim  of  the  moun- 
tains with  flaming  gold. 

2.  Every  dusky  head  was  sheltered  beneath  the  smoky 
canvas. 

3.  The  sunburnt  meadows,  patterned  with  golden  willow 
patches,  made  a  pretty  carpet  for  the  valley  floor. 

4.  Everyone  in  camp  was  on  the  alert  to  watch  what  was 
coming. 

5.  As  we  gradually  ascended  the  Sweetwater  the  nights 
became  cooler. 

6.  About  thirty  miles  below  Salmon  Falls  the  dilemma 
confronted  us  either  to  cross  the  river  or  starve  our  teams. 

7.  My  boyhood  pranks  of  playing  with  logs  or  old  leaky 
skiffs  in  the  waters  of  the  White  River  now  served  me  well. 

8.  Every  now  and  then  we  get  down  from  our  donkeys  to 
talk  with  the  turbaned  merchants. 

9.  Here  boys  and  men  in  red  fez  caps  and  long  gowns  are 
making  cups  and  trays. 

10.  Above  the  streets  is  hung  a  matting  which  shuts  out 
the  sun. 

Type  Lesson  6.     The  Predicative  Verb 
The  sentence  swings  around  the  main  verb.    To  find 
this  verb  is  to  find  the  thought  center  of  the  sentence. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  289 

Drill  exercises  aimed  at  this  essential  will  reinforce  the 
lesson  just  outlined  on  the  base  of  the  sentence,  and  also 
help  to  cultivate  a  surer  sentence  sense. 

A  good  practical  application  of  this  lesson  may  be 
found  in  a  study  of  sentences  by  pupils  themselves.  Let 
them  exchange  compositions  or  notebooks  and  search  for 
groups  of  words  they  have  used  as  sentences,  which  do 
not  contain  predicative  verbs;  as, 

1.  Going  down  the  street  the  other  day  very  rapidly. 

2.  Also   an   observatory  which   is   quite  high   so   that 
visitors  may  have  an  unobstructed  view  on  clear  days. 

3.  The  flag  that  one  may  see  if  one  goes  there. 

4.  As  I  stood  near  the  banks  of  the  river  and  watched  the 
little  ripples  floating  toward  the  shore. 

5.  White  clouds  floating  across  the  sky  and  seeming  to 
run  a  race  with  one  another. 

Have  the  pupils  make  the  foregoing  groups  of  words 
into  sentences.  Also  have  them  each  find  five  other  such 
word  groups,  if  possible,  in  their  own  compositions  or 
notebooks,  which  they  have  wrongly  used  as  sentences'. 

Type  Lesson  7.  The  Passive  Verb 
Test  any  ninth  grade  class  with  this  question:  Is  the 
passive  verb  transitive  or  intransitive?    Most  of  such 
classes  and  many  teachers  tested  the  country  over  have 
answered,  "The  passive  verb  is  intransitive."    When 
asked  the  reason  they  have  generally  replied: 
"It  does  not  take  an  object." 

This  result  is  due  directly  to  the  teaching  of  a  false 
definition.  Many  texts  and  most  teachers  have  been 
training  pupils  to  repeat  this  misleading  definition :  A 


290 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

transitive  verb  is  one  which  takes  an  object  to  complete 
its  meaning. 

The  truer  method  of  teaching  these  important  classes 
of  verbs  is  to  lead  pupils  to  feel  the  difference  between 
transitive  and  intransitive  actions.  Let  them  dramatize 
these  actions  by  responding  to  such  commands,  as—- 
stand, sit,  talk,  walk,  jump,  hop,  skip.  Then  direct 
them  to  break,  make,  take,  carry,  bring,  lift. 

Immediately  they  will  begin  to  see  that  there  are 
different  kinds  of  actions  to  be  performed.  One  kind 
does  not  require  anything  to  receive  it;  the  other  does 
require  a  receiver. 

Type  Lesson  8.   Dramatizing  the  Verb 

Continue  this  dramatizing  of  various  verbs  until  the 
pupils  feel  the  difference  between  a  transitive  and  an 
intransitive  action.  For  example,  ask  each  pupil  to 
perform  an  act  that  is  not  received.  He  may  rise,  jump, 
skip,  hop,  talk.  Then  ask  each  one  to  perform  some 
transitive  action.  In  response  to  this  he  may  break  a 
piece  of  crayon,  strike  his  desk,  lift  a  book,  raise  his 
pencil. 

The  exercise  to  follow  this  first  step  may  be  the  making 
of  two  lists  of  verbs,  say  twenty  in  each,  one  list  giving 
those  that  express  action  not  received;  another,  action 
which  is  received. 

A  second  lesson  in  developing  the  essential  difference 
between  transitive  and  intransitive  verbs  may  be 
centered  round  the  meaning  of  these  terms.  After 
reviewing,  by  using  the  pupils'  lists  of  verbs,  the  idea 
developed  in  the  beginning  lesson,  the  pupils  may  be  led 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  291 

to  think  of  a  possible  name  for  these  two  classes  of  verbs 
—one  expressing  action  received,  and  the  other  express- 
ing action  not  received.  Say  nothing  about  objects  at 
this  point. 

What  might  the  verb  that  expresses  action  that  is 
received  be  called?  Some  pupil  may  know  the  name. 
If  not,  after  he  has  been  led  to  think  of  the  problem 
and  to  suggest  possible  terms,  the  word  transitive  may 
be  given. 

Draw  out  the  meaning  of  transitive  by  having  a  study 
of  the  words  containing  "trans,"  as,  transfer,  transport, 
trans-continental.  Trans,  it  will  be  discovered,  implies 
a  passing  over.  The  action  expressed  by  such  verbs 
seems  to  be  transferred  from  the  doer  over  to  the  re- 
ceiver. 

With  this  thought  made  clear,  the  pupils  will  be  ready 
for  the  next  step — a  study  of  the  kinds  of  transitive  and 
of  intransitive  verbs. 

Active  and  passive  verbs  likewise  should  be  carefully 
taught.  To  reinforce  the  thought  that  transitive  verbs 
cApress  an  act  which  is  received,  perform  some  act  as 
breaking  the  chalk,  lifting  an  eraser.  Ask  the  pupils  to 
tell  what  was  done. 

"  You  broke  the  chalk,"  will  be  the  reply. 
"Very  well,  talk  about  the  chalk." 
"The  chalk  was  broken." 

How  many  acts  were  performed?" 
"One." 

"  In  how  many  ways  did  you  tell  of  the  act?" 
"Two." 


292 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Perform  several  transitive  acts  and  have  them  express 
the  action  in  both  active  and  passive  voice.  Then  per- 
form an  intransitive  action,  and  have  the  pupils  try  to 
tell  of  it  in  two  ways.  Through  this  dramatic  method 
the  class  may  be  led  readily  to  see  that  transitive  verbs 
are  either  active  or  passive;  intransitive  verbs  cannot  be 
changed.  For  example: 

The  boy  lifted  the  chair.  The  chair  was  lifted  by  the 
boy.  A  transitive  act  expressed  in  both  active  voice 
(wherein  the  subject  acts)  and  passive  voice  (wherein 
the  subject  is  acted  upon.) 

Drill  on  this  point  until  it  is  clinched  by  using  sen- 
tences from  the  pupils'  own  papers,  from  readers,  or 
other  books.  Have  them  find  transitive  verbs  and 
change  them  from  active  to  passive  or  from  passive  to 
active.  Have  them  also  find  intransitive  verbs  express- 
ing action  not  received.  For  illustration: 

Transitive 
Active  Passive 

1.  We  see  a  house  in   the       i.  A  house  is  seen, 
distance. 

2.  Over    the    door    they       2.  The  flags  were  crossed, 
crossed  two  flags. 

.3.  I  build  my  nest  in  the  tall  3.  My  nest  was  built, 
grass. 

4.  The  people  protect  me.  4.  I  am  protected. 

5.  My  parents  gave  me  an  5.  An  education  was  given 
education.  me. 

Intransitive 

1.  The  morning  dawned  bright  and  warm. 

2.  Everyone  was  lounging  around. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 293 

3.  Clouds  floated  lazily  across  the  sky. 

4.  A  robin  was  sitting  on  a  leafy  branch. 

5.  Two  feet  of  snow  fell  that  day. 

A  follow-up  lesson  on  What  is  the  use  of  the  active 
and  passive  voice?  will  make  surer  the  knowledge.  The 
practical  lessons  given  in  Exercises  138  and  139  may  be 
readily  increased  if  necessary.  The  exercises  in  the  text, 
however,  would  seem  to  be  sufficient  to  drive  home  the 
vital  point. 

In  succeeding  lessons,  dealing  with  verbs  and  with 
case,  transitive  verbs  are  again  dealt  with  in  a  practical 
way.  The  essential  thing  at  this  point  is  to  make  the 
pupils  feel  the  principles  by  giving  them  a  clear  working 
knowledge  of  the  fundamental  difference  between  transi- 
tive and  intransitive  action. 

When  the  distinction  between  transitive  and  intransi- 
tive has  been  made  reasonably  clear,  attention  may  be 
given  to  the  two  classes  of  each  of  these  verbs. 

Following  the  lead  of  the  text  here,  let  the  pupils  first 
make  a  study  of  linking  verbs,  and  complete  verbs. 

The  practical  exercises  given  in  connection  with 
Exercises  131,  132,  133,  134,  may  be  increased,  if  neces- 
sary; but  they  would  seem  to  be  ample  to  make  the 
distinction  between  these  classes  of  verbs  clear,  and  to 
drive  home  their  practical  application.  They  will  be 
taken  up  in  other  lessons  later. 

Type  Lesson  9.     A  Study  of  Objects 
Several  lessons  dealing  with  direct  and  indirect  objects 
and  the  adjunct  accusative  are  given  after  the  work  on 
transitive  and  intransitive  verbs.  A  complete  knowledge 


294 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

of  sentence  structure  makes  the  study  of  these  various 
objects  necessary. 

Practical  application  of  these  lessons  is  found  in 
sentence  variety  and  the  foundation  is  laid  for  the 
studies  in  case  to  follow. 

Type  Lesson  10.  Cultivating  the  Quotation  Sense 
Quotations  both  direct  and  indirect,  are  important 
elements  in  sentence  structure.  The  direct  quotation  is 
used  constantly  in  stories;  the  indirect  is  used  quite  as 
much  in  conversation  and  in  letter  writing  It  is  essential 
that  the  pupil  be  trained  to  handle  quotations  with  clear- 
ness and  force. 

The  studies  given  on  quotations  accomplish  several 
things: 

1.  They  are  aimed  at  cultivating  quotation  skill. 

2.  They  give  vitalized  practice  in  using  quotation  marks 
correctly. 

3.  They  cultivate  a  sense  of  emphasis,  or  transposition. 

The  drills,  aimed  at  getting  these  results,  may  be 
readily  increased. 

Type  Lesson  n.     Base  of  Compound  and  Complex 
Sentences 

The  exercises  given  under  these  headings  are  directed 
towards  the  great  purpose  of  all  the  lessons  in  sentence 
building,  sentence  unity  or  "sentence  sense." 

Ability  to  build  clear,  well  unified  sentences  is  di- 
rectly dependent  on  a  good  working  knowledge  of 
sentence  structure.  There  are  five  senses  to  be  culti- 
vated in  sentence  building: 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 295 

1.  A  sense  of  unity. 

2.  A  sense  of  subordination. 

3.  A  sense  of  modification. 

4.  A  sense  of  quotation. 

5.  A  sense  of  emphasis. 

The  sense  of  unity  is  the  mother  of  all  the  other  senses. 
Ability  to  say  one  thing  at  a  time  and  say  it  well  means 
power  in  speech.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  the  cultiva- 
tion of  this  ability  is  the  central  aim  of  all  the  exercises 
offered  in  this  first  important  division  of  grammar- 
sentence  building. 

The  practical  exercises  with  which  this  division  is 
closed  are  suggestive  only  of  the  hundreds  of  like  exer- 
cises that  may  be  given  to  connect  the  principles  taught 
with  life. 

DIVISION  TWO.    STUDIES  IN  THE  PARTS  OF 
SPEECH 

The  pupils  should  come  to  this  study  with  a  fairly  clear 
knowledge  of  the  parts  of  speech.  A  brief  review  of 
these,  however,  will  be  helpful  at  the  beginning  of  the 
work.  The  emphasis  in  this  review,  as  in  all  of  the 
succeeding  study,  should  be  placed  on  the  use  of  the 
parts  of  speech. 

Use  determines  the  classification.  This  thought 
should  be  kept  clear.  Any  one  word  may  perform  several 
distinct  offices  in  sentence  building.  For  example:  The 
train  was  late.  They  train  the  team  skillfully.  The  train 
schedule  has  been  changed. 

Use  here  such  drill  exercises  as  the  following  to  fix  in 


296  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

pupils  the  habit  of  asking  the  question,  How  is  the  word 
used? 

1.  Use  as  two  or  three  different  parts  of  speech  the 
following  words: 

pull  walk  tire  thread          lead 

step  silver  play  strike  drive 

bear  stick  light  snow  bat 

2.  Using  the  dictionary,  find  ten  words  that  may  each 
be  used  as  three  different  parts  of  speech. 

3.  Compose  five  sentences  in  each  of  which  some 
word  is  used  as  two  or  three  different  parts  of  speech;  as, 

We  shall  ship  our  goods  in  an  American  ship. 

Another  point  to  be  made  clear  is  the  grouping  of  the 
parts  of  speech  as  sentence  elements.  There  are  eight 
parts  of  speech.  Only  five  offices,  however,  can  be  per- 
formed in  a  sentence  by  these  parts  of  speech.  These 
offices  are: 

(i)  Substantives;  (2)  Asserting  elements;  (3)  Modifiers; 
(4)  Connectives;  or  (5)  Independent  elements. 

Study  i.    Nouns  in  Use 

From  the  use  viewpoint  three  things  are  of  practical 
moment  in  the  study  of  nouns : 

1 .  Capitalization  of  proper  nouns. 

2.  Agreement  of  verb  with  collective  nouns. 

3.  Spelling  of  forms  expressive  of  number,  gender,  and 
genitive  case. 

The  amount  of  time  necessary  to  give  to  any  of  these 
practical  phases  must  be  determined  by  the  needs  of 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  297 

the  class.  The  following  are  a  few  suggestions  ior  general 
guidance : 

i.  The  general  rules  for  capitalization  of  proper 
nouns  should  already  be  known.  Make  this  an  occasion 
for  a  good  review,  or  a  new  view,  of  that  rule;  add  the 
special  rules  given  in  Exercise  154.  Make  these  clear 
with  application,  adding  other  exercises  for  drill,  if 
necessary. 

For  additional  drills  use  the  following  and  similar 
exercises : 

a.  Clear  away  the  errors  in  these  sentences  taken  from 
eighth  grade  papers,  giving  reasons: 

1.  It  happened  one  beautiful  autumn  day  out  west. 

2.  My  uncle  Tom  owned  a  ranch  near  the  teton  river. 

3.  The  birds  were  singing  gayly,  we  were  happy  as  they. 

4.  Old  chief  Sowiet  was  a  brave  indian,  and  he  was  always 
as  just  as  he  was  brave. 

5.  King  winter  now  has  come  again 

with  Jack  frost  and  the  snow 
The  merry  birds  have  flown  away 
where  old  south  wind  doth  blow. 

b.  Have  the  pupils  bring  to  class  five  other  sentences 
from  seventh  or  eighth  grade  papers  or  notebooks  show- 
ing errors  in  use  of  capitals. 

2.  The  exercises  on  collective  nouns  would  seem 
sufficient  at  this  time.  These  will  be  followed  by  other 
practical  drills  under  the  study  of  Number  later  in  the 
course. 

Study  2.     Case  Uses  of  the  Noun 

In  dealing  with  the  case  uses  of  the  noun,  do  not  hold 
pupils  to  a  thorough  study  of  all  of  the  forms  at  this 


298  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

time.  The  lesson  should  be  dealt  with  as  a  summary  and 
review.  All  of  the  uses,  except  the  nominative  absolute 
and  the  adverbial  accusative  have  been  previously 
introduced.  These  two  special  uses  will  be  considered 
more  fully  later  under  adverbs  and  case.  It  is  necessary 
only  to  get  a  passing  acquaintance  with  them  at  this 
point. 

Study  3.     Genitive  Forms  of  the  Noun 

Since  the  only  practical  difficulty  met  with  in  dealing 
with  the  case  of  nouns,  is  with  genitive  forms,  the 
emphasis  should  be  given  to  these  forms.  The  nomina- 
tive and  the  accusative  forms  had  best  be  taken  up  in 
connection  with  pronouns. 

Drill  on  these  genitive  forms  in  relation  to  their  con- 
text. For  example,  use  such  dictation  exercises  as  the 
following : 

John's  boots  are  black.  The  soldier's  guns  shone. 

Henry's  skates  are  sharp.  The  women's  dresses  were 

white. 
Mary's  books  are  lost.  The  ladies'  hats  were  sold. 

Most  of  the  difficulty  comes  from  confounding  simple 
plurals  with  genitive  forms.  Ladle's,  Marys  hat,  The 
boy's  have  gone,  are  typical  errors.  Much  practice  in 
writing  exercises  like  the  one  just  given  will  help  to 
overcome  these  faults. 

Study  4.     Substantive  Phrases  and  Clauses 
Exercise    159   should   be   carefully   studied   for   two 

practical  reasons: 

i.    Facility    in    handling    substantive    phrases    and 

clauses  makes  for  clearness  and  variety  of  expression. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  299 

For  illustration:  We  hoped  that  he  would  come.  Our 
hope  was  that  he  would  come.  It  was  our  hope  that  he 
would  come. 

Similarly  express  in  two  or  more  ways  each  of  the 
following  thoughts  keeping  the  substantive  clause  in 
each: 

a.  We  believe  that  he  is  honest. 

b.  They  asserted  positively  that  he  would  come. 

c.  I  am  not  certain  that  I  shall  go. 

d.  The  jury  decided  that  he  was  innocent. 

e.  We  remembered  what  you  had  said. 

2.  Many  difficulties  in  understanding  sentence  struc- 
ture may  be  cleared  away  by  a  clear  understanding  of  the 
substantive  group. 

Keep  the  five  uses  clear.  Add  the  following  drills  and 
others  if  necessary  to  fix  the  classification. 

Point  out  the  substantive  clause  in  each  of  the  follow- 
ing sentences  and  tell  how  it  is  used : 

a.  When  we  shall  go  is  not  decided. 

b.  The  foreigner  knew  what  we  were  saying. 

c.  His  question  was,  Where  can  we  get  shelter? 

d.  I  told  the  soldier  that  he  could  stay  at  our  home. 

e.  My  problem  is,  where  to  get  the  money. 

f.  The  boy  said  that  the  fox  ran  through  the  corn. 

g.  "What  are  you  doing  out  so  late?"  asked  the  officers, 
h.  "More  kindness  is  needed  to-day,"  said  the  preacher, 
i.  It  is  believed  that  he  sailed  south. 

j.    "Make  way  for  Liberty!"  he  cried. 


300  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Diagraming  and  Sentence  Clearness 

A  simple  diagram  may  be  used  to  make  these  and 
other  relations  plainer.   For  illustration: 

I  will  be  there      (Substantive  clause  used  as 
He  said     | |  direct  object) 

That  he  was  satisfied  (Substantive  clause 

|  |    is  enough          used  as  subject) 

that  he  go  to  school 

My  wish  |  |    should  be  heeded. 

(Substantive  clause  used  appositively) 

can  and  will  you  do  it? 

The  question  [  is  \ j 

(Substantive  clause  used  as  predicate  nominative) 

whom  he  pleased 
He  |  talked  about  | 

(Substantive  clause  used  with  preposition) 

To  be  a  worthy  soldier 

|  I    was  his  ambition 

(Substantive  phrase  used  as  subject) 

to  gain  his  confidence 
I  ,  tried    | 


(Substantive  phrase  used  as  the  direct  object) 

what  to  do 

The  question  [  was  \ | 

(Substantive  phrase  used  as  predicate  nominative) 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  301 


He  |  objected 


to  our  going  there 


(Substantive  phrase  used  with  a  preposition) 
to  see  him 
It  I    was  impossible 

(Substantive  phrase  used  appositively) 
The  diagram  may  be  helpfully  used  in  showing  the 
relations  of  substantives  to  other  parts  of  the  sentence. 
A  clear  understanding  of  these  relationships  is  basic  in 
the  study  of  case. 

Make  the  diagram,  if  used  at  all,  simple  and  directly 
to  the  main  point  to  be  illustrated. 

The  chief  trouble  with  diagraming  as  used  by  most 
teachers  and  texts  lies  in  its  complexity.  The  diagram 
that  gets  in  its  own  way  is  worse  than  useless.  Teachers 
can  easily  make  their  own  diagrams.  Such  diagrams,  if 
simple  and  to  the  point,  may  be  far  more  effective  than 
any  set  system. 

Study  5.     The  Pronoun 

Two  main  points  of  vital  value  are  to  be  learned  in 
connection  with  pronouns : 

1.  How  to  keep  the  pronoun  clear. 

2.  How  to  use  the  different  forms  correctly. 

The  following  sentences,  taken  from  seventh  and 
eighth  grade  papers,  show  the  need  for  helping  pupils  to. 
use  pronouns  clearly: 

a.  The  goddess  Earth  forgot  and  struck  the  ground  so 
hard  that  the  floor  of  the  sky  was  broken  through  which  she 
fell.  (No  antecedent  for  which.) 


302 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

b.  His  guides  through  the  pathless  forest  were  the  children 
of  his  mother's  sisters,  they  were  his  star  cousins.    (To  what 
does  they  refer?) 

c.  They  had  to  endure  many  hardships,  that  is  after  their 
marriage  they  lived  with  the  Indians  with  their  squaws  and 
were  protected  by  them.    (By  whom?) 

d.  The  girl  said  that  she  and  her  sister  would  go  with  the 
woman  if  her  mother  would  let  them,  but  she  refused.     (She 
and  her  badly  jumbled.) 

e.  The  Bushmen,  who  are  proud  of  their  boys  often  cut 
pieces  out  of  his  skin  to  make  him  look  fine.    (Jumbling  of 
number  forms.) 

Have  pupils  make  the  foregoing  sentences  clear. 
Gather  other  sentences  like  these,  from  their  papers, 
wherein  pronouns  have  not  been  clearly  used,  and  make 
additional  exercises  in  clearness. 

The  ability  to  choose  the  proper  form  of  the  pronoun 
depends  largely  on  a  clear  knowledge  of  case  relation- 
ships, a  study  of  which  follows. 

Study  6.     Case  Forms  of  the  Pronoun 

The  lessons  in  case  may  be  kept  simple  and  clear  by 
remembering  two  main  points: 

i.  There  are  only  seven  pronouns  that  have  both 
nominative  and  accusative  forms: 

a.  I me 

b.  he him 

c.  she her 

The  last  named  is  seldom  used. 


H    we 

us 

eT    they 

them 

f     who 

whom 

er.   Thou 

thee 

EIGHTH   GRADE   LANGUAGE  303 

2.  Most  of  the  difficulty  met  in  using  these  forms 
comes  in  connection  with  a  few  type  sentences.  Among 
the  worst  of  these  are: 

a.  It  is  I  (we,  he,  she,  they)  (Predicate  nominative). 

b.  Mary  and  I  went  (Compound  subject). 

c.  We  boys  were  there  (Appositive  subject). 

d.  They  are  no  better  than  we  (Elliptical  sentence). 

e.  Whom  did  you  see  (tell,  ask)  (Interrogative). 

Perhaps  eighty  percent  of  the  errors  made  in  using 
case  forms  are  made  on  these  five  types. 

The  other  mistakes  in  using  pronouns  come  generally 
in  such  vulgarisms;  as,  He  hurt  hisself;  That  is  hisn. 
Sometimes  errors  are  made  on  more  technical  forms  of 
the  sentence;  as,  those  containing  (i)  The  nominative 
absolute,  and  other  independent  expressions;  (2)  Thrown 
in  expressions;  (3)  The  subject  of  the  gerund.  For 
illustration: 

a.  He  being  there,  we  could  go.    (Nominative  absolute.) 

b.  He!  why  he  wouldn't  do  such  a  thing.    (Independent 
by  exclamation.) 

c.  He  is  a  man  who,  I  think,  can  be  trusted.    (Thrown  in 
expression.) 

d.  His  coming  made  no  difference.    (Subject  of  gerund.) 

These  more  technical  case  forms  are  taken  up  in  suc- 
ceeding lessons  under  inflections.  Let  the  attention  be 
given  here  to  the  more  common  uses. 

Studies  in  sentence  structure  find  definite  applica- 
tion in  connection  with  case.  It  is  essential  that  the  pupils 
know  clearly  the  relation  of  words  and  groups  of  words 
in  order  to  give  reasons  for  the  case  forms  they  choose. 


304  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


Here  is  an  excellent  opportunity  for  a  searching  review 
of  the  lessons  in  sentence  building. 

Study  7.     Relative  Pronouns 

Several  points  of  practical  value  grow  out  of  this 
study : 

1.  A  definite  training  is  given  in  the  proper  use  of  the 
troublesome  forms  who,  which  and  that. 

2.  The  correct  and  effective  use  of  descriptive  and  deter- 
minative clauses,  with  the  proper  punctuation  of  the  descrip- 
tive clause  is  given. 

3.  Appositives,  which  are  nothing  more  than  descriptive 
clauses  reduced  to  their  lowest  terms,  are  dealt  with  from 
the  viewpoint  of  sentence  conciseness. 

'An  essential  thing  in  all  of  this  work  is  to  develop  in 
the  pupils  a  sense  of  subordination  and  modification. 

Facility  in  handling  the  relative  pronoun  with  the 
clauses  it  introduces  is  rather  rare.  To  cultivate  that 
facility,  and  to  train  pupils  in  an  effective  use  of  apposi- 
tives,  is  to  help  greatly  in  overcoming  the  "and"  habit. 
Such  training  also  makes  for  smoothness,  clearness,  and 
conciseness  in  sentence  building. 

The  best  way  to  vitalize  and  clinch  the  points  just 
suggested  is  to  make  exercises  from  sentences  of  the 
pupils'  own  composition.  The  following  are  several  such 
typical  exercises  as  may  thus  be  made : 

i.    Choosing  the  Right  Relative  Pronoun 
Study  the  relative  pronouns  used  in  the  following 
sentences.   Suggest  any  change  that  might  be  made,  giv- 
ing reasons. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  305 

1.  In  one  corner  was  a  trap  door  that  led  to  an  under- 
ground passage. 

2.  Education,  that  is  necessary  for  all,  will  be  gained. 

3.  The  snow  that  covered  the  houses  and  the  ground 
made  it  a  very  light  day. 

4.  It  was  one  of  those  days  which  make  you  feel  sleepy. 

5.  We  could  see  six  firemen,  which  had  climbed  up  the 
ladders. 

Besides  training  the  pupils  to  use  which  and  who  in 
descriptive  clauses,  train  them  also  to  separate  such 
clauses  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  commas. 

2.    A  Study  in  Conciseness 

Reduce  the  relative  clauses  in  the  following  sentences 
to  phrases  or  appositives : 

1.  The  flowers,  which  bloomed  along  the  wayside,  looked 
brighter  than  ever. 

2.  There  are  houses  outside,  which  were  used  for  the 
soldiers  while  standing  guard. 

3.  They  built  their  home,  which  was  a  four-roomed  cabin 
built  of  logs. 

4.  They  looked  across  the  plains  which  stretched  far 
before  them  to  the  sunrise  sky. 

5.  We  trudged  up  the  icy  path,  which  led  to  school. 

3.    A  Study  in  Subordination 

By  using  relative  clauses,  change  the  structure  of  the 
following  sentences  so  as  to  eliminate  the  misused  ands: 

1.  A  truck  was  speeding  down  the  street  and  it  struck  a 
roadster. 

2.  The  automobile  driver  was  backing  his  car  out  of  the 
garage  and  he  bumped  into  a  man  and  knocked  him  down. 


306  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

3.  One  candle  was  lighted  very  near  a  branch  of  the  tree 
and  it  started  the  tree  and  toys  blazings 

4.  A  woman  happened  to  be  crossing  the  street  and  she 
was  knocked  down  by  the  runaway  horses. 

5.  The  Indians  saw  the  fluffy  cloud  floating  by  and  they 
thought  it  was  the  Great  Spirit  and  that  he  had  come  to 
punish  them. 

Have  the  pupils  themselves  make  other  exercises  like 
these  given,  based  on  their  own  sentence  structure. 
These  may  be  copied  into  their  correct-usage  books  for 
reference  and  review  drills. 

Study  8.     Verbs  as  Life-Giving  Elements 

This  study  brings  into  the  clear  the  most  important 
phase  of  verb  study.  The  verb  gives  life  to  language. 
Here  is  a  conception  of  the  verb  that  challenges  interest 
and  vitalizes  the  old  cut-and-dried  definition  we  have 
been  wont  to  learn. 

The  essential  thing,  first  of  all,  is  to  make  the  pupils 
sense  the  truth  of  this  assertion.  Such  studies  as  that 
given  in  Exercise  172  will  be  found  helpful.  Add  to  this 
poem  study,  the  study  of  life-giving  words  found  in  news 
articles,  in  prose  selections  found  elsewhere  in  the  text. 

Another  helpful  exercise  is  to  have  the  pupils  change 
the  life  of  a  sentence  by  changing  the  verb.  For  example 
place  this  sentence  on  the  board:  The  man  walked 
along  the  street.  Let  the  class  suggest  other  words  to 
take  the  place  of  walked;  as,  trudged,  limped,  marched, 
sauntered.  What  is  the  effect  of  the  change? 

Studies  of  this  sort  will  make  clear  the  point  at  issue: 
the  verb  is  the  life-giving  element  in  the  sentence. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  307 

Study  9.    Predicative  and  Non-Predicative  Verbs 

Not  all  verbs  assert  action  or  being.  The  pupil  will 
soon  discover  this  in  his  search  for  life-giving  elements. 
It  becomes  necessary  now  to  clear  his  mind  on  this 
point.  This  can  be  done  only  by  a  study  of  predicative 
and  non-predicative  verbs. 

The  following  explanation  at  the  outset  of  this  study 
proves  most  helpful. 

There  are  three  ways  by  which  action  is  expressed  in 
the  sentence: 

1.  By  assertion;  as,  The  soldiers  marched  rapidly. 

2.  By  assumption;  as,  The  soldiers,  marching  rapidly, 
overtook  the  enemy. 

3.  By  suggestion;  as,  The  soldiers  made  a  forced  march. 

In  the  first  sentence  marched  is  a  predicative  verb. 
In  the  second  sentence,  marching  is  a  non-predicative 
verb.  In  the  third  sentence  march  is  used  as  a  noun;  but 
the  noun,  coming  from  a  verb,  suggests  the  action. 

The  essential  point  is  that  the  life  of  each  and  all  of 
these  sentences  comes  either  directly  or  indirectly  from 
the  verb. 

By  using  such  exercises  as  those  found  in  Exercise  174 
and  the  following  additional  ones,  make  this  point  clear 
and  vital. 

By  using  forms  of  various  verbs  make  sentences  in 
which  the  action  expressed  by  each  verb  is : 

(i)  Asserted;  (2)  Assumed;  (3)  Suggested. 

For  example: 

The  parachute  dropped  slowly. 


308  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  parachute,  dropping  slowly,  carried  the  aviator  safely 
to  the  ground. 

The  dropping  of  the  parachute  was  slow. 

Use  in  like  manner,  each  of  the  following  verbs : 

call  break          blaze  sail  hunt 

work  explode       leap  fall  march 

Study  10.     A  New  View  of  Transitive  and  Intransitive 

Verbs 

Exercise  175  drives  home  from  a  new  viewpoint  the 
essential  difference  between  transitive  and  intransitive 
verbs.  Non-predicative  verbs  are  now  brought  into  the 
classification.  The  exercise  therefore  serves  the  double 
purpose  of  clinching  the  points  made  in  the  lessons  just 
given,  and  at  the  same  time  giving  a  vitalized  review. 

Practical  application  of  the  lesson  is  found  in  the 
exercises  on  lie,  lay;  sit,  set;  rise,  raise.  With  the  foun- 
dation well  laid  by  the  studies  of  transitive  and  intransi- 
tive verbs,  the  pupil  comes  to  these  forms  now  with 
assurance.  Proper  drills  should  fix  the  lessons  for  him 
forever. 

Such  drill  forms  as  the  following  may  be  used  to  fix 
the  distinction  between  these  transitive  and  intransitive 
forms,  if  desired.  Have  these  copied  in  the  pupils  correct- 
usage  books. 

Transitive  Forms 
Active  Passive 


He  set  the  bucket  down. 
They  were  setting  the  furni- 
ture out. 
Have  you  set  the  alarm? 


The  bucket  was  set  down. 
The  furniture  was  being  set 

out. 
Has  the  alarm  been  set? 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  309 


Intransitive 


Active 

Passive 

I  sat  there  an  hour. 
He  is  sitting  under  the  tree. 

We  had  sat  talking  two  hours, 
I  think. 

Study  ii.      Practical  Study  of  Non-Predicative  Verbs 

What  is  the  use  of  the  participle  and  the  infinitive  in 
sentence  building? 

Their  practical  value  is  made  clear  in  Live  Language 
Lessons.  Participles  and  infinitives  there  are  taught 
from  the  use  viewpoint,  these  points  being  made  plain : 

1.  The  participle  and  the  infinitive  both  help  to  make  the 
sentence  concise. 

2.  These  elements  are  useful  also  in  helping  the  writer  or 
speaker  to  subordinate  thoughts  of  minor  importance.   They 
offer  an  excellent  cure  for  the  "and"  habit. 

3.  Through  the  participle  the  sentence  may  be  made 
more  graceful;  the  infinitive  adds  strength  to  speech. 

Teachers  should  keep  the  foregoing  points  clear,  and 
should  drive  them  home  by  using  such  exercises  as  those 
given  under  181,  182,  183. 

Enrich  these  and  vitalize  the  work  by  using  other 
sentences  from  pupils'  papers,  letters,  and  newspapers. 

i.     A  Study  in  Conciseness 

By  using  participial  phrases  shorten  the  following 
sentences : 

a.  The  strong  wind,  which  was  carrying  clouds  of  dust, 
made  it  almost  impossible  for  us  to  find  our  road. 

b.  The  sun,  which  was  streaming  through  the  morning 
mist,  soon  lifted  it  and  cleared  the  scene. 


3io LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

c.  A  heavy  freight  train,  which  was  rounding  a  curve  in  the 
canyon  was  derailed  and  leaped  down  the  embankment  into 
the  river. 

Have  pupils  find  in  their  own  papers  or  those  of  their 
classmates  other  sentences  which  might  be  condensed 
and  improved  in  this  way. 

2.     Making  Sentences  Clear 

a.  "Climbing  down   the   tree  we  saw   the  porcupine." 
What  meaning  was  intended  here?    Change  the  sentence  so 
as  to  bring  out  the  meaning. 

b.  Walking  through  the  woods,  a  patch  of  fragrant  violets 
greeted  us. 

c.  Making  a  noise  like  a   bird   the  Indian  scout  was 
signalled  by  his  companion. 

Have  pupils  correct  sentences  like  those  above  and 
place  the  correct  forms  in  their  correct-usage  books. 

Study  12.     Adjectives  in  Use 

Three  main  things  of  practical  worth  will  come  from 
successful  teaching  of  these  vitalized  lessons  on  adjec- 
tives : 

1.  An  enriching  of  the  vocabulary  with  pride  in  using 
choice,  descriptive  words. 

2.  A  good  working  knowledge  of  the  rule  of  agreement 
between   limiting   adjectives   showing   number   and   other 
number  forms. 

3.  A  keener  sense  of  modification,  with  skill  to  use  adjec- 
tives and  adjectival  phrases  and  clauses  clearly  and  effec- 
tively. 

The  essential  thing  in  working  for  these  results  is  to 
connect  the  lessons  with  everyday  language  practice. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  311 


Two  points  should  receive  special  attention,  concise- 
ness and  clearness.  The  tendency  of  amateurs  is  to  use 
too  many  adjectives.  Another  common  fault  is  the 
jumbling  of  modifying  elements. 

Do  not  discourage  unduly  the  youthful  enthusiasm 
shown  in  an  extravagance  of  modifiers.  Rather  guide  it 
tactfully.  The  overuse  of  adjectives  will  gradually 
disappear. 

Give  much  practice  to  help  pupils  in  getting  their 
modifiers  in  the  right  place.  "Want  ads"  give  excellent 
exercise  at  this  point.  Much  fun  as  well  as  good  training 
may  be  easily  provided  from  the  newspapers. 

The  classification  of  adjectives  may  be  reduced  to 
three  terms,  descriptive,  limiting,  articles,  if  desired. 

Definite  attention  should  be  given  to  the  proper  use 
of  articles.  The  frequent  use  of  a,  an  and  the  in  language 
makes  for  their  frequent  misuse.  A  special  effort  should 
be  made  to  correct  the  common  fault  kind  of  a,  sort  of  a. 
Attention  should  be  given  to  the  misuse  of  a  before 
vowels;  as,  a  orange,  a  apple. 

For  drill  purposes  have  each  pupil  work  out  a  tongue- 
training  drill  on  the  correct  use  of  articles  and  place  this 
drill  in  his  correct-usage  book.  For  example: 

This  kind  of  horse.  This  kind  of  book. 

That  sort  of  apples.  That  kind  of  boy. 

An  elephant.  A  turkey. 

An  orange.  A  tomato. 

An  eagle.  A  hundred. 

An  hour.  A  humble  man. 

The  black  and  white  cow.  (One  animal.) 
The  black  and  the  white  cow.     (Two  animals.) 


312 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  secretary  and  treasurer.    (One  officer.) 
The  secretary  and  the  treasurer.    (Two  officers.) 

The  effort  constantly  should  be  directed  towards 
getting  pupils  to  take  such  a  proper  pride  in  their  speech 
as  will  promote  vigilant  self -correction. 

Make  the  work  practical. 

Study  13.     Adverbs 

There  are  three  main  results  of  value  to  come  from  the 
'  vitalized  study  of  the  adverb : 

1.  The  pupils  should  learn  when  the  adverb  adds;  when  it 
detracts. 

2.  The  drills  in  using  "ly"  forms  of  this  part  of  speech, 
should  be  reinforced  by  study  and  further  drill. 

3.  Facility  in  placing  adverbs  and  adverbial  phrases  and 
clauses  should  be  cultivated. 

The  essential  thing  to  keep  clear,  if  the  study  of 
adverbs  is  to  be  made  practical,  is  this:  Adverbs  some- 
7  times  add  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  sentence;  some- 
times they  detract  from  its  forcefulness. 
p  The  main  effect  of  the  adverb  is  to  give  the  sentence" 
smoothness.  If  snap  and  vigor  is  needed,  the  vitalized 
verb  will  do  the  work  better  than  a  lifeless  verb  with  an 
adverb.  For  illustration,  take  this  sentence  recently 
written  by  a  news  correspondent : 

"Dawn  barely  had  broken  when  the  big  ship  loomed 
through  the  mist,  crept  past  the  lighthouse,  and  nosed  its 
way  up  the  channel  into  the  harbor." 

How  many  verbs  are  used?     Four. 
How  many  adverbs?     One. 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  313 

Suppose  the  writer  had  said,  "  Dawn  barely  had  broken 
when  the  big  ship  rose  slowly  out  of  the  mist,  made  its 
way  carefully  past  the  lighthouse  and  moved  cautiously 
up  the  channel  into  the  harbor." 

Such  an  overuse  of  adverbs  kills  the  life  of  the 
sentence.  The  pupils  should  be  trained  in  an  intelligent 
working  knowledge  of  this  part  of  speech. 

Adjectives  or  Adverbs 

It  is  important  also  that  the  pupils  be  drilled  in  the 
proper  choice  of  adjectives  and  adverbs.  A  frequently 
made  mistake  is  the  dropping  of  the  "ly"  in  such  sen- 
tences as,  "Come  quickly."  "Step  quietly."  "It  was 
surely  a  treat."  "He  did  the  work  satisfactorily." 

Overcoming  this  fault  means  more  than  head  teaching. 
It  will  require  persistent  ear  and  tongue  training  to  fix  the 
right  habit. 

For  additional  drills  make  forms  like  the  following. 
Choose  the  form  you  think  proper,  giving  reasons: 

1.  It  is  (terribly,  terrible)  warm. 

2.  Rounding  the  curve  (quick,  quickly)  the  automobile 
"  turned  turtle." 

3.  He  crept  (cautious,  cautiously)  up  the  hillside. 

4.  The  soldiers  charging  (furious,  furiously)  surprised  the 
Indians  and  captured  them. 

5.  Turning  (sudden,  suddenly)  I  saw  the  wolf  on  my 
trail. 

Have  pupils  watch  carefully  for  sentences  in  which 
adjectives  are  misused  for  adverbs.  These  corrected 
should  be  copied  in  the  correct-usage  book. 


3H  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Adverbial  Phrases  and  Clauses 

The  sense  of  modification  needs  continual  cultivating. 
To  place  the  adverbial  word  groups  where  they  say 
exactly  what  is  meant  is  a  skill  that  comes  only  from 
much  well  aimed  practice.  Use  sentences  found  in 
pupils'  papers  and  in  newspapers  to  reinforce  this  point. 

Study  14.     Prepositions 

Two  main  faults  are  found  in  the  use  of  this  important 
part  of  speech : 

1.  Mischoice  of  the  preposition. 

2.  Needless  prepositions. 

The  first  fault  is  illustrated  by  the  following  sentences : 

He  is  not  to  home. 

It  was  divided  between  the  three  sons. 
He  went  after  the  cows. 
The  dog  jumped  in  the  creek. 

The  use  of  needless  prepositions  is  found  in  such  ex- 
pressions as, 

It  was  in  back  of  the  house. 

He  jumped  off  from  (or  of)  the  box. 

Where  are  you  going  to? 

Where  is  he  at? 

A  careful  study  of  the  exact  meaning  of  the  different 
prepositions  with  positive  drills  to  reinforce  the  meaning 
will  do  most  to  clear  away  the  first  named  fault. 

The  use  of  needless  prepositions  can  best  be  overcome 
by  positive  drill  exercises  on  correct  sentences  wherein 
such  needless  forms  are  likely  to  occur. 

Practical  exercises  to  supplement  those  found  in  the 
book,  may  be  readily  made  from  the  newspapers,  from 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE 


the  speech  of  the  pupils  and  from  their  papers.  Let  the 
class  help  to  gather  these  exercises  and  use  them  in 
socialized  recitation. 

The  finer  distinctions  in  meaning  conveyed  by  the 
various  prepositions  may  not  all  be  caught  by  the  pupils 
of  this  grade  but  a  beginning  study  in  word  accuracy 
may  be  made  by  using  such  exercises  as  follow.  Tell 
what  change  takes  place  in  these  sentences  as  the  prepo- 
sition is  changed  : 

I  went  to  the  house.  I  went  after  him. 

I  went  into  the  house.  I  went  by  him. 

We  laughed  at  the  man.  A  government  of  the  people. 

We  laughed  with  the  man.  A  government  by  the  people. 

I  went  for  him.  A  government  for  the  people. 

Have  the  pupils  find  and  keep  in  their  correct-usage 
books  sentences  wherein  prepositions  are  aptly  used  ;  as, 
the  closing  sentence  in  The  Gettysburg  Speech. 

Study  15.     Conjunctions 

One  of  the  surest  tests  of  clear  thinking  is  to  be  found 
in  the  use  of  connectives.  Words  and  groups  of  words 
must  be  properly  tied  together  to  hold  the  thought.  It 
takes  skill  to  make  these  language  knots  properly. 

A  most  common  fault  in  using  conjunctions  is  the 
coordinating  fault.  A  majority  of  people  have  this  "  and" 
habit,  which  also  includes  the  "so"  habit,  "then" 
habit,  and  any  other  habit  of  making  language  move  in 
a  "run  on"  "dead  level"  structure.  Such  habits  may 
be  best  overcome  by  cultivating  a  surer  sense  of  sub- 
ordination. 


316 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  right  use  of  subordinating  conjunctions  should  be 
developed.  A  dictionary  study  of  the  most  important  of 
these,  with  definite  practice  in  using  them  will  bring 
results  worth  while. 

Do  not  expect  too  technical  work  with  these  words, 
but  make  a  beginning  in  word  accuracy  by  using  such 
exercises  as  the  following. 

Choose  the  conjunction  you  think  proper,  giving 
reasons : 

1.  Neither  he  (or,  nor)  I  have  been  there. 

2.  I  do  not  know  (if,  whether)  I  shall  go. 

3.  It  looks  as  (if,  though)  it  will  rain. 

4.  I  did  not  do  it  (since,  for,  because)  you  objected. 

5.  I  will  not  tell  him  (lest,  unless)  he  promises  to  keep 
the  information  to  himself. 

Correlative  Conjunctions 

Especial  attention  should  be  given  to  correlative 
conjunctions.  This  means  more  than  merely  learning 
these  connectives  in  pairs.  It  calls  for  a  study  in  the 
balancing  of  one  thought  against  another,  comparing  or 
contrasting  two  ideas. 

Study  1 6.    Interjections 

The  essential  thing  to  be  done  regarding  interjections 
is  given  clearly  in  the  text. 

Overuse  of  this  part  of  speech  should  be  discouraged. 

Little  else  of  practical  value  can  be  said  about  this  last 
of  the  parts  of  speech. 

Summary  and  Reviews 

The  minimal  essentials  covering  the  studies  in  Sen- 
tence Building  and  the  Parts  of  Speech  are  given  in 


EIGHTH  GRADE  LANGUAGE  317 

concise  form  in  Exercises  206  and  207.    Make  sure  that 
these  essentials  are  mastered. 

DIVISION  THREE.     INFLECTIONS 

English  is  not  a  highly  inflected  language.  There  are 
a  few  things,  however,  worth  learning  well  about  its 
inflections,  and  these  should  be  learned  thoroughly.  The 
effort  in  Live  Language  Lessons  is  to  find  these  essentials 
and  to  teach  them  well. 

The  "nutshell  presentation"  of  the  subject  at  the 
outset  should  prove  most  helpful.  It  gives  a  concise 
view  of  the  field  and  indicates  the  main  problems  to  be 
met  and  mastered.  The  succeeding  lessons  also  are  brief, 
pointed,  and  clinched  by  definite  drill. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  this  practical  study  of  inflections  is 
a  vitalized  and  systematic  review  study  of  The  Tables  of 
Correct  Usage.  Pupils  who  have  had  the  previous  lessons 
in  the  Live  Language  texts  will  come  to  this  vital  study  of 
grammar  well  prepared  to  master  it.  It  gives  to  them 
only  a  new  view  of  the  forms  they  have  already  met  in 
various  ways  before. 

A  Concluding  Word 

The  slogan  of  the  Live  Language  Grammar  may  be 
expressed  in  two  free  and  easy  American  expressions: 
"  Cut  out  and  connect  up."  The  whole  effort  in  planning 
this  course  has  been  to  eliminate  the  non-essentials  and 
to  vitalize  every  necessary  principle  and  rule  taught  by 
connecting  it  with  life.  The  lessons  will  bring  right 
results  if  they  are  followed,  not  slavishly  but  rather  faith- 
fully in  a  spirit  of  true  understanding  and  appreciation. 


SECTION  THREE 
PRACTICAL  TALKS  TO  TEACHERS 


PRACTICAL  TALKS  TO  TEACHERS 
THREE  STEPS  IN  LANGUAGE 

Language  teaching,  in  brief,  involves  a  threefold 
process — discovery,  development,  drill. 

i.     The  Discovery  Lesson 

The  central  purpose  of  the  discovery  lesson  is  to  find 
what  the  pupil  has  in  mind  or  what  he  can  get  that  is 
worthy  the  attention  of  the  class. 

Two  things  are  essential  to  success  in  this  opening 
lesson : 

1.  A  suitable  subject  of  real  life  appeal. 

2.  The  proper  stimulus  to  self-expression. 

In  Live  Language  Lessons  (see  Composition  Content 
Chart  on  page  8)  the  subjects  are  both  vital  and  varied. 

In  the  live  language  plan,  too,  the  natural  method  is 
followed  to  stimulate  the  pupil  to  express  himself.  For 
this  purpose  four  main  means  are  used: 

i:  Suggestive  questions. 

2.  Personal  experiences. 

3.  Stories  and  poems  close  to  child  life. 

4.  Suggestive  topics. 

A  study  of  any  of  the  lessons  given  in  the  books  will 
show  clearly  these  various  methods  of  approach.  For 
further  explanation  see  "Our  Living  Language"  Chapter 
III,  "Leading  the  Learner  to  Express  Himself." 

321 


322 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

More  important  than  any  of  these  excellent  means, 
however,  is  the  spirit  of  the  teacher  towards  the  work. 
Unfeigned  interest  in  the  pupil's  effort  is  essential  to 
success.  The  teacher  should  be  a  sympathetic  auditor, 
giving  watchful  attention  and  intelligent  direction  to 
what  the  pupil  is  saying,  and  thus  helping  him  to 
disclose  his  best  thoughts  and  experiences. 

Here,  too,  is  the  explanation  of  the  vitality  of  Live 
Language  Lessons.  They  can  never  grow  old,  indeed,  like 
the  reproductive  exercises  in  formalized  texts.  Each 
class  renews  the  live  language  lesson  by  bringing  to  it 
new  thoughts  and  experiences. 

No-Accident-Week 

To  illustrate  further:  In  a  certain  city  recently  a 
" No- Accident-Week"  was  being  observed.  One  of  the 
teachers,  turning  this  vital  theme  uppermost  in  the 
public  mind  to  educative  account,  opened  up  in  a  sixth 
grade  class  a  language  project  on  "The  Cost  of  Care- 
lessness," connecting  with  the  project  found  in  Live 
Language  Lessons,  Second  Book,  "Life  in  the  City," 
Exercise  43. 

The  pupils  were  led  first  to  talk  about  and  afterwards 
to  write  their  experiences  showing  why  it  pays  to  be 
careful. 

The  following  titles  of  their  little  stories  indicate  the 
various  worth-while  incidents  and  thoughts  brought  out 
during  this  discovery  lesson: 

Misplaced  Toy  Causes        Taking  Chances. 

Trouble. 
Cripple  Killed  through  Care-       A  Cigar  and  Kerosene. 

lessness. 


THE   DISCOVERY   LESSON 323 

Fatal  Run  Across  Street.  Matches  and  Hay. 

The  Wrong  Side  of  the  Road.  Fatal  Game  in  Street. 

Careless  Fireman  Causes  Fire.  A  Thoughtless  Boy. 

Turning  Corners  Carelessly.  A  Costly  Cigarette. 

A  Reckless  Motorman.  Killed  Playing  around  Cars. 

Collision   through    Careless-  The  Cost  of  Speeding. 

ness. 

Too  Fast  Motorcycle  Riding.  Stealing  Rides. 

The  No- Accident- Week  Unhitched  Horses. 

Accident. 

The  Thanksgiving  Dinner 

In  a  class  of  the  fifth  grade,  the  general  subject  chosen 
was  "  The  Thanksgiving  Dinner."  Here  the  purpose  was 
to  lead  the  pupils  to  give  their  first-hand  experiences 
about  the  various  articles  of  food  that  make  up  this 
feast.  The  following  titles  of  little  story  explanations 
that  were  produced  show  how  each  pupil  contributed 
something  original  to  the  class  exercises : 

Raising  Potatoes.  Life  of  a  Banana. 

The  Strawberry  Story.  A  Sweet  Potato  Story. 

A  Saucy  Cranberry.  Pumpkin  Pie. 

The  Apple  Pie  Story.  A  Squash  Story. 

The  Turkey's  Tale.  The  Gooseberry  Tale. 

Trout  for  Dinner.  A  Bunch  of  Grapes. 

Story  of  the  Currant.  How  the  Beans  Grew. 

The  Chicken's  Story.  The  Story  of  an  Orange. 

Travel  Talks 

In  a  class  of  the  eighth  grade,  the  general  subject 
sketched  was  " Travel  Talks."  Each  pupil  was  led  to 
tell  of  one  of  the  most  interesting  sights  or  experiences 
that  had  come  to  him  during  some  trip  he  had  taken. 


324  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  following  are  the  various  individual  titles  chosen  for 
the  talks  that  were  developed  during  this  exercise: 

In  Geyser  Land.  Through  Echo  Canyon. 

At  Niagara  Falls.  A  Wyoming  Ranch. 

The  Washington  Monument.      In  Strawberry  Valley. 
The  Statue  of  Liberty.  At  Saltair  Beach. 

At  Ocean  Park,  California.         At  Indian  Camp. 
In  the  Wasatch  Mountains         Across  the  Nevada  Desert. 
The  Tower  of  Jewels.  The  Midway  Hot  Pots. 

A  Mountain  Resort.  Liberty  Park. 

Given  any  subject  that  touches  closely  real  life  inter- 
ests, practically  every  pupil  may  be  led  to  say  something 
worth  while.  These  individual  compositions  will  vary  in 
value;  but  each  will  have  the  one  essential  quality  that 
gives  life  and  interest  in  expression,  its  individuality.  A 
composition  lesson  can  be  alive  only  as  it  induces  each  of 
the  members  of  the  class  to  put  something  of  his  own  life 
into  the  exercise. 

The  success  of  the  discovery  lesson  is  predicated  on 
two  main  things : 

1.  Selection  of  a  language  project  that  has  a  vital  appeal 
to  the  class. 

2.  The  right  stimulus  to  bring  out  the  best  thoughts  and 
experiences  from  each  pupil. 

These  two  essentials  are  well  provided  for  in  Live 
Language  Lessons. 

The  Composition  Content  Chart  given  on  page  8 
shows  the  rich  and  varied  selection  of  language  projects 
offered  in  these  books.  The  lessons  follow  the  vital  lines 
of  real  life  expression  and  come  within  the  liveliest 
interests  of  the  pupil. 


THE  DISCOVERY  LESSON  325 

Each  grade  is  given  its  own  part  in  the  program. 
Working  within  the  boundaries  of  its  special  course, 
every  class  will  find  a  wealth  of  interesting  work  to  do. 
The  course  should  be  followed  in  the  main,  as  planned; 
good  team  work  is  dependent  on  each  teacher's  keeping 
within  the  field  assigned  to  her  class. 

The  live  language  plan  is  both  definite  and  flexible. 
It  may  be  readily  readjusted  to  provide  for  current  topics 
of  vital  interest,  which  are  always  demanding  special 
consideration.  Practically  all  of  such  subjects  may  be 
given  place  in  the  live  language  plan  without  upsetting 
the  regular  work. 

The  "  No- Accident-Week "  lesson  just  sketched  is  a 
good  example.  Though  this  was  seemingly  an  additional 
lesson,  yet  in  reality  it  connected  most  fittingly  with  the 
exercise  provided  for  the  sixth  grade  in  the  Second 
Book,  Exercise  45,  "  Safety  First  Rules  for  Boys  and 
Girls."  It  might  also  have  been  blended  with  other 
exercises  in  other  grades.  In  the  Third  Book,  Exercise 
105,  for  instance,  under  "Debates"  is  found  this  sub- 
ject: " Resolved,  that  carelessness  is  the  most  costly  of 
habits." 

Connect  Language  Work  with  Current  Topics 

The  point  here  to  be  emphasized  is:  Do  not  go  out- 
side of  the  regular  course  for  materials  that  are  found 
within  it.  Connect  current  topic  lessons  with  the  course. 
More  systematic  and  satisfactory  work  will  be  the 
result. 

Regarding  the  second  essential:  What  means  may 
best  be  used  to  lead  the  learner  freely  to  reveal  his  best 
first-hand  thoughts  and  experiences.  Live  Language 


326 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Lessons  offer  the  following  ways   to  get   this  desired 
result: 

1.  Fetching  questions,  such  as  call  not  merely  for  matter- 
of-fact  nor  a  "yes"  or  "no"  answer;  but  rather  bring  forth 
the  expression  of  real  thoughts  and  experiences. 

2.  Suggestive  topics,  with  a  real  life  appeal. 

3.  Personal  experiences  close  to  the  life  of  the  ordinary 
pupil.    These  offer  possibly  the  best  means  of  stimulating 
others  to  express  themselves. 

4.  Stories  and  poems  of  real  life  interest.  These  are  used 
not  for  imitation  but  for  inspiration.    Literature  serves  its 
best  purpose  in  the  language  lesson  when  it  stimulates  self- 
expression  from  the  pupils. 

None  of  these  means,  however,  will  bring  forth  the 
best  results  unless  reinforced  by  true  interest  in  the 
pupil's  expression  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  To  bring 
out  the  class  successfully,  the  leader  must  be  one  with 
the  pupils — a  truly  interested  auditor,  participating  in 
their  lives,  stimulating  and  guiding  them  tactfully,  and 
watching  always  to  discover  the  best  ideas  or  stories  that 
these  may  be  further  developed  and  expressed  for  the 
good  of  others  and  for  the  training  of  the  pupil  himself. 

2.     Development  Lessons 

Continuity  of  effort  is  essential  to  success.  With  a 
clear  view  of  this  principle  in  mind,  Live  Language  Les- 
sons have  been  worked  out,  not  as  unrelated  exercises  but 
in  orderly  sequence.  The  various  lessons  within  each 
general  project  are  linked  together. 

The  opening,  or  discovery  lesson,  is  followed-  naturally 
by  development  lessons,  and  these  in  turn  are  followed 
by  exercises  and  drills  aimed  to  fix  right  habits  of  speech. 


DEVELOPMENT  LESSONS  327 

Following  the  discovery  of  a  worth-while  thought  or 
experience,  naturally  comes  the  developing  of  it.  The 
development  lessons  may  be  few  or  many  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  project  and  the  grade  of  the  pupils. 

The  discovery  lesson  should  generally  be  an  oral 
exercise.  Development  lessons  may  be  oral  or  written, 
or  both.  They  should  be  varied  according  to  the  varying 
natures  of  the  subject  and  the  changing  abilities  of  the 
pupils.  Generally  speaking,  they  will  deal  with  such 
phases  of  language  training  as  vocabulary  work,  sentence 
and  paragraph  building,  with  whatever  is  necessary  to 
make  the  expression  more  effective. 

Continuity  with  variety  should  characterize  the 
development  lessons.  This  means  that  they  should  move 
steadily  towards  the  end  of  working  out  the  project  in 
hand,  yet  each  lesson  shall  present  a  different  phase  of 
the  work.  Unless  it  does  there  could  hardly  be  pro- 
gression and  sustained  interest  in  the  exercises. 

To  make  this  concrete,  let  us  return  to  the  "No- 
Accident-Week"  lesson  already  introduced.  The  follow- 
ing development  lessons  followed  out  in  completing 
that  project: 

1.  Written  exercise  during  the  study  period  immediately 
following  the  oral  or  discovery  lesson.    In  this  the  pupils 
played  the  part  of  reporters  writing  up  the  accident  they  had 
observed. 

2.  Finding  and  bringing  to  class  brief  news  stories  in 
which  similar  accidents  had  been  reported.    Class  study  of 
these  stories. 


328  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


3.  The  study  of  sentence  building  based  on  the  sentences 
found  in  the  pupils'  papers.    Both  faulty  and  well  built 
sentences  of  the  pupils'  own  composing  were  here  used. 

4.  Finding  expressive  words.  A  study  of  the  diction  used 
by  pupils,  with  an  exercise  in  vocabulary  building,  was  here 
used. 

5.  The  making  of  safety-first  rules  for  boys  and  girls. 

6.  A  class  program  given  before  another  grade  in  which 
little  " No- Accident"  talks  were  made,  stories  relating  to 
carelessness  read,  and  "Safety  First  Rules"  given. 

3.    Cultivating  Skill  in  Speech 

Drill  exercises,  aimed  at  cultivating  skill  to  use 
properly  the  various  forms  of  speech  are  of  two  kinds: 

1.  Corrective  exercises,  given  as  needed  to  overcome 
language  faults  that  have  been  inherited  or  acquired. 

2.  Constructive    drills,    regularly    given    to    teach    the 
essential  rules  of  language,  and  through  positive  drills,  to  fix 
these  rules  in  practice. 

Neglect  of  either  of  these  phases  of  speech  training 
would  mean  a  distinct  loss  to  the  learner.  The  corrective 
work  is  necessary  to  take  care  of  his  special  needs  as 
they  are  revealed  in  his  oral  and  written  expression. 

The  constructive  exercises,  dealing  with  the  common 
needs  of  the  class,  must  also  be  given  to  round  out  the 
course  and  to  make  sure  that  none  of  the  essential  forms 
of  language  are  missed. 

A  systematic  course  of  training,  dealing  with  type 
trouble-makers  and  driving  home  fundamental  rules,  is 
likewise  necessary  to  establish  habits  of  correct  usage 
in  the  pupils. 


CULTIVATING  SKILL  IN  SPEECH  329 

The  following  instance  illustrates  the  point: 
At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  a  certain  teacher 
observed  that  her  fifth  grade  pupils  had  the  common 
fault  of  mis-enunciating  words  that  end  in  "ing."  Some 
of  them,  for  example,  would  say  "nothink,"  "some- 
think,"  "everythink."  Still  others  failed  to  give  the 
sound  represented  by  "ing"  with  proper  resonance. 
They  had  the  habit  of  saying  "nothin',"  "sometmV,  " 
"everythin'."  Here  was  need  for  a  vitalized  exercise 
in  tongue  training. 

The  opportunity  was  taken.  A  motivated  drill  was 
given  in  this  troublesome  form  of  speech.  Good  tempo- 
rary results  came  from  the  work. 

Need  for  Continued  Drill 

But  this  one  exercise  was  not  sufficient.  It  had  to  be 
followed  with  perhaps  a  dozen  others  all  aimed  at  over- 
coming the  same  fault.  A  few  of  the  pupils  then  began 
to  show  signs  of  having  acquired  the  habit  of  enunciating 
rightly  and  with  proper  resonance  words  ending  in  "ing." 
Most  of  the  class,  however,  continued  to  show  need  of 
help.  It  is  likely  that  these  drills  will  have  to  be  con- 
tinued through  several  grades,  and  review  exercises  for 
all  the  pupils  will  be  necessary  to  keep  them  from 
lapsing  into  wrong  habits. 

The  foregoing  illustration  suggests  the  essential 
process  in  all  speech  training.  Find  the  type  trouble- 
makers and  follow  them  until  they  are  mastered,  is  a 
good  rule  to  follow  in  this  work.  Only  by  such  vitalized 
and  persistent  practice  can  the  right  language  habits 
finally  be  fixed  in  tongue  and  fingers. 


330 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

Some  concrete  instances  will  serve  to  clinch  this 
important  point:  Suppose,  for  example,  the  first  grade 
teacher  finds  "I  seen  it"  common  on  the  tongues  of  her 
pupils;  the  second  grade  teacher  likewise  frequently  hears 
her  pupils  saying,  "I  done  it;"  the  third,  "come  yester- 
day;" the  fourth,  "I  rung  the  bell."  Each  of  these 
teachers,  through  appropriate  drill  exercises,  is  working 
against  each  of  these  special  errors.  All  are  working  to 
the  common  end  of  training  the  pupils  in  the  habit  of 
using  properly  the  principal  parts  of  the  verb. 

Suppose  again,  that  the  pupils  in  one  of  the  primary 
grades  have  the  habit  of  saying  "You  was  going;"  or 
that  the  intermediate  grade  pupils  make  such  a  mistake 
as  "We  was  going;"  that  the  pupils  in  the  grammar 
grades  are  given  to  saying,  "There  goes  the  boys."  The 
drills  necessary  to  take  care  of  each  of  these  separate 
faults  would  all  serve  the  one  common  purpose  of  train- 
ing pupils  in  the  habit  of  using  the  right  number  forms 
of  the  verbs. 

Each  lesson  is  but  a  link  in  a  chain  of  lessons  leading 
to  the  fixing  of  some  desirable  language  habit.  Each 
lesson,  in  other  words,  should  be  taught,  not  alone  for 
its  immediate  result,  but  to  help  in  reaching  the  larger 
objective.  This  means  that  all  teachers  must,  to  get  the 
best  results,  see  clearly  what  are  the  language  habits 
essential  to  language  skill. 

Fortunately  there  are  not  a  great  many  vital  ones  to 
be  developed.  So  far  as  training  the  tongue  and  the 


CULTIVATING  SKILL  IN  SPEECH  331 

fingers  is  concerned  the  following  list  comprises  prac- 
tically all  those  of  prime  importance: 

1.  The  habit  of  speaking  in  clear  carrying  tones.   Here  is 
a  call  for  drills  for  right  resonance,  proper  posture,  and  right 
breathing. 

2.  The  habit  of  opening  the  mouth.    Exercises  to  over- 
come "jaw  laziness"  reflected  by  " jist,"  "kin,"  "git,"  "ur," 
"wuz,"  "feller,"  "winder,"  "guvermunt,"  and  other  slovenly 
forms,  are  especially  needed  here. 

3.  The  habit  of  speaking  the  words  "trippingly  on  the 
tongue."     Drills    on    words    like    particularly,    geography, 
arithmetic,    to   overcome   the   tendency   to   slight   certain 
syllables,  and  on  words  like  swept,  wept,  kept,  to  bring  up 
the  endings,  and  three,  throw,  thick,  this,  that,  to  overcome 
tongue  tightness,  are  helpful  in  correcting  these  common 
faults. 

4.  The  habit  of  speaking  without  halting  and  stuttering. 
Special  individual  work  may  here  be  necessary  to  overcome 
individual  speech  defects.    There  is  also  general  need  for 
training  pupils  away  from  the  distressful  habit  of  filling 
pauses  in  their  talk  with  "unds,"  "ure,"  "u's,"  and  other 
non-essential  sounds. 

5.  The  habit  of  spelling  correctly.    Drills  here  should  be 
aimed  at  training  the  fingers  to  spell.    Exercises  in  enuncia- 
tion and  pronunciation  will  prove  helpful  practice  to  rein- 
force spelling.     Words  taken  from  the  pupils'   papers  and 
notebooks  should  be  constantly  used  to  vitalize  the  work. 

6.  The  habit  of  punctuating  and  paragraphing  properly. 
Intelligent  practice  is  essential  here.   A  rule  in  punctuation 
will  be  followed  in  practice  only  when  its  inner  meaning  is 
felt.   So  with  paragraphing.   More  than  mere  memory  work 
and  mechanical  drills  is  necessarv  to  fix  this  habit. 


332  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

7.  The  habit  of  using  the  correct  forms  of  the  various 
parts  of  speech.  This  general  habit,  covering  correct  usage  as 
applied  to  grammatical  forms,  may  be  divided  for  convenience 
into  the  following  sub-habits: 

a.  Using  the  right  number  forms. 

b.  Using  correctly  the  principal  parts  of  speech. 

c.  Choosing  the  right  case  forms. 

d.  Using  prepositions  and  conjunctions  with  care. 

e.  Using  intransitive  verb  forms  correctly. 

f.  Choosing  adjectives  and  adverbs  rightly. 

g.  Avoiding  double  negatives  and  the  use  of  needless 
words,  like  "aint,"  "hadn't  ought,"  "  John  he,"  "have  got," 
"this  here"  and  many  other  "undesirables." 

h.  Displacing  such  barbarisms  as,  bust,  dumb,  hisn,  his- 
self,  and  other  like  slovenly  expressions  with  correct  speech. 

8.  The  habit  of  choosing  words  and  expressions  that  are 
both  clean  and  alive.   To  cultivate  this  habit  is  to  make  a 
positive  fight  against  the  prevalent  habit  of  using  slang.  This 
fight  can  be  won  only  by  the  building  of  choice,  live  vocabu- 
laries. 

The  foregoing  need  sounds  a  clear  call  for  concerted 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  teacher.  The  right  results  in 
language  training  can  be  achieved  only  as  the  teachers 
and  pupils  work  together. 

Two  things  in  one  are  essential  here :  A  good  working 
plan  of  action  and  a  series  of  practical  lessons  and  drills 
necessary  to  carry  out  the  plan.  Given  these,  teachers 
can  cooperate  effectively  in  cultivating  language  skill. 

Live  Language  Lessons  have  been  created  with  clear 
recognition  of  this  vital  need.  They  provide  a  well- 
motivated  course  in  language  expression,  which  offers 
opportunity  first,  to  discover  the  real  language  needs  of 


PUNCTUATION  AND  CAPITALIZATION      333 

the  pupil;  and  second,  to  train  his  tongue  and  fingers  in 
right  language  habits. 

Both  the  corrective  and  the  constructive  types  of 
work  are  provided  for  in  the  live  language  plan.  Each 
composition  project,  by  opening  the  way  for  natural 
expression,  brings  out  the  real  language  of  the  learner, 
which  may  be  corrected  as  occasion  requires.  With 
each  project  also,  vitalized  exercises  on  the  type  trouble- 
makers in  speech  and  writing  are  systematically  given. 

These  drill  exercises  follow  four  main  lines:  (i) 
Vocabulary  Building;  (2)  Grammar;  (3)  Enunciation 
and  Pronunciation;  (4)  Punctuation.  The  various  lines 
of  work  are  followed  throughout  the  grades,  with  lessons 
adapted  to  the  growth  of  the  learner.  They  are  tied 
together  with  reviews  and  clinched  by  practical  applica- 
tion. The  following  charts  give  in  outline  the  Live 
Language  Progressive  Drill  plan. 

GRADED  CHART  OF  PUNCTUATION  AND 
CAPITALIZATION 

Rules  of  Capitalization 


Grade 


Rules  of  Punctuation 


Third 

Closing  sentence  with 
period. 
Use  of  question  mark. 

Beginning  of  sentences 
Pronoun  I. 
Own  name  and  names 
of  parents  and  others. 

Fourth 

Period  with  abbreviations. 
Comma  in  series. 

Beginning    lines    of 
verse. 

Comma,  direct  address. 
Apostrophe  in  contractions. 

Days  and  months. 
Persons  and  places. 
Titles  before  names. 

Initials. 

334 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


Grade 


Rules  of  Punctuation 


Rules  of  Capitalization 


Fifth 


Sixth 


Seventh 


Eighth 


Quotation  marks. 
Comma  before  quotations. 
Exclamation  point. 
Dash  with  broken  words. 


Genitive  case  forms. 
Summary  and  review  drills 

on  all  other  marks 

previously  given. 

Review  study  of  various 
marks  of  punctuation 
according  to  the  charac- 
teristic of  each. 

Review  drills 

Special  study  of  semi- 
colon, colon,  dash,  paren- 
thesis, and  single  quota- 
tion marks. 

Complete  review  of  all  rules 
with  special  drill  on  those 
needing  attention. 


Beginning  direct  quo- 
tation. 

Names  of  Deity. 
Main  words  in  titles. 
Writing  of  dates. 

Review    of    work    of 
previous  grades. 


Review  of  capitaliza- 
tion with  especial 
emphasis  on  applica- 
tion in  letter  writing. 


In  each  grade  all  rules  for  punctuation  and  capitali- 
zation given  in  preceding  grades  are  completely  reviewed. 

Points  to  remember:  (i)  The  foregoing  outline  should 
be  taken  only  as  a  suggestive  outline.  Punctuation  marks 
should  be  taught  as  need  arises;  (2)  Punctuation  practice 
should  be  connected  closely  with  the  pupil's  composition 
work;  (3)  Drills  should  be  continued  on  each  rule  till  the 
habit  of  using  the  mark  is  fixed  in  the  fingers. 


ENUNCIATION  EXERCISE  CHART  335 

A  reading  knowledge  of  punctuation  marks  will  of 
necessity  be  developed  before  a  writing  knowledge.  The 
pupil  will  understand  the  meaning  of  the  various  marks 
long  before  he  is  held  to  their  application  in  composition. 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  ENUNCIATION 

EXERCISE  CHART 
I.   Type  Exercises  to  develop  the  flexible  jaw 


just 
can 
get 
catch 
for 
from 
or 
and 

was 
what 
cause 
potato 
tomato 
fellow    ' 
mellow 
yellow 

horse 
corn 
born 
form 
oil 
toil 
boil 
spoil 

children 
hundred 
pumpkin 
chimney 
grandpa 
grandma 
office 
handkerchief 

II. 

singing 
ringing 
reading 
writing 

Type  Exercises  to 
something 
everything 
nothing 
anything 

Cultivate  Proper 
moon 
soon 
olden 
golden 

Resonance 

studying 
carrying 
hurrying 
marrying 

throw 
three 
think 
this 
those 

III.    Type  Exercises  for  Tongue  Training 
swept                grocery             particularly 
wept                 history              especially 
crept                 geography        length 
swiftly              celery                breadth 
quietly              library               width 

while 
which 
when 
whistle 

IV.   Type  Exercises  to  Train  the 
sleep                 sleeve 
lift                    fine 
slip                    rush 
leap                   please 

Lips 

sphere 
specific 
Pacific 
pacifist 

336 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


V.    Type  Exercises  to  Overcome  the  "Hurry  Habit" 
Don't  you       Is  he  going?         That  will  do         Should  have 
Can't  you       I  don't  know       Those  will  do       Might  have 
Let  me  Quicker  than       Let  him  go  Would  you 

Give  me  Better  than          Let  her  go  Could  you 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  PLAN  FOR  DRILL  EXERCISES 
IN  CORRECT  USAGE 


I.    Verbs  often  Misused 


Third  Grade 

Fourth  Grade 

Fifth  Grade 

see           run 
do            take 
come        throw 
eat           give 
go            bring 

blow           ring 
fly              drink 
grow          sing 
know         begin 
write         spring 

lie              speak 
sit              drive 
rise            ride 
buy           bite 
climb         fall 
choose       shake 
freeze        break 

II.    Expressions  Wherein  Errors  in  Number  often  Occur 


The  men  are 
We  were 
Were  you 
They  were 
Weren't  you 


Weren't  they 
Doesn't  she 
Here  are  two 
There  are  three 
There  go  the  boys 


Here  come  the  men 
Where  are  the  girls 
Tom  and  Ned  have 

come 
He  and  I  were  there 


III.    Expressions  Wherein  Wrong  Forms  of  the  Pronoun 
often  Occur 


It's  I  (he,  she,  we) 
I  hurt  myself 
He  cut  himself 
She  bit  herself 


We  boys  are  going 
That  is  ours 
This  is  hers  (his) 
It  was  theirs 
Those  are  yours 


Whom  did  you  tell 
(ask,  invite,  see) 
He  and  I  went 
It  was  John  and  I 


DRILL  EXERCISES  IN  CORRECT  USAGE     337 


IV.   Expressions  Wherein  Adjectives  or  Adverbs  are  often 
Misused 


An  apple,  an  egg 
Most  beautiful 
Best  of  two 


This  is  worse 

I  was  surely  tired 


Speak  slowly 
Walk  quietly 


V.   Expressions  Showing  Errors  in  Use  of  Prepositions  and 


" off  of"  (from) 
"not  to  home" 
" going  to" 


Conjunctions 

"fell  in" 
"between  three" 
"back  of  "(behind) 


"could  of  done  it" 
"I   live  'in   Harney 
Street" 


VI.    Miscellaneous  Trouble-makers 


"have  got" 
"can  I  go"? 


aint,"  "haint," 

taint" 

"them  things" 
"let  me  be" 


"this  here";    "that 

there" 

"the  man  he" 
"hadn't  ought" 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  PLANS  FOR  DRILL  EXERCISES 
IN  CORRECT  USAGE 

I.  Verbs  often  Misused 


Sixth  Grade      |           Seventh  Grade 

Eighth  Grade 

swim      tear 
drag      wear 
draw      bear 
steal      swear 
burst     catch 

learn         teach 
love           like 
mend         fix 
stop           stay 
drive         ride 
let             leave 

beat          hide 
become     lend 
bid            tread 
dare          stride 
flee            weave 
forget        hang 

LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


II.   Expressions  Wherein  Errors  in  Number  often   Occur 

Each  has  his 

When  have  those 

Either  Tom  or  Ned  is 

Every  one  had  his 

How  do  the  soldiers 

Music  of  the  birds 

That  horse   steps 

What  are  two  names 

was 

proudly 

Ten    dollars    is 

Audience  was 

Those  horses  step 

enough 

The  news  was 

proudly 

It  weighs  ten  pounds 

Memoranda  were 

HI.    Expressions  Wherein  Wrong  Forms  of  the  Pronoun 
are  often  Used 


No  better  than  I 
As  good  as  they 
Between  you  and 

me 
For  (to)  her  and 

him 


Review  all  trouble- 
some forms  previ- 
ously given 


I  did  it  myself 
They  hurt  them- 
selves 
Who  do  you   think 

came 
No  one  but  him 
His  coming  was 


IV.   Expressions  Wherein  Adjectives  or  Adverbs  are  often 

Misused 


He  talks  well 

I'm  somewhat  better 

Most  beautiful 

He   was    angry 

Fewer  than  usual 

More  swiftly 

(mad) 

came 

Tastes  bitter 

A  healthful  climate 

Acted  strangely 

Almost  done 

V.   Expressions  Wherein  Errors  in  Use 

of  Conjunctions  and 

Prepositions  often 

Occur 

Different  from 

Unless  you  go 

He  sat  beside  us 

Need  of  money 

Seems  as  if  I 

No  one  besides  us 

Neither  he  nor  I 

Take  it  from  him 

Man  that  we  saw 

THE  SEAT  WORK  PROBLEM  339 


VI.    Miscellaneous 
"Kind  of  a" 
"  Double  nega- 
tives" 
"I'll  learn  you" 

5  Incorrect  Expressio 
"He  asked    if    he 
could" 
"  I  laid  (set)  down" 
"He  raised  up" 
"Either  of  three" 

ns  to  be  Overcome 
"  Will  you  be  home" 
"I  will  be  ten  Fri- 
day" 
"If  I  was  you" 
"I  only  had  a  dime" 

1.  The  foregoing  drill  exercise  charts  are  intended 
only  as  guide  lines  by  which  the  essential  drill  exercises 
may  be  checked  up  occasionally.   They  are  not  a  course 
of  study.    The  enriched  course  which  includes  these 
drills  will  be  found  in  Live  Language  Lessons. 

2.  Only  the  types  of  error  found  over  the  whole 
country  are  included   in   the  foregoing  charts.     Such 
localisms  and  foreign  expressions  as  "What  be  yous 
doin"?  "Powerful  smart,"    "Come  and  go  with,"    "I 
reckon  he  done  it,"  "Me  hat,"  "He  done  it  aready," 
must  be  dealt  with  by  each  school  wherein  these  special 
errors  of  speech  arise. 

3.  All  drills  on  forms  of  speech  should  be  connected  as 
closely  with  the  pupil's  real  language  needs  as  possible. 
The  drills  also  should  be  made  secondary  to  the  main 
purpose    of    language    work — the    expression    of    real 
thought  and  feeling. 


SOLVING  THE  "SEAT  WORK"  PROBLEM 

What  shall  be  done  to  keep  pupils  profitably  employed 
during  the  study  periods,  is  a  troublesome  question 
with  all  teachers.  The  question  assumes  its  most  difficult 
form  when  linked  with  the  rural  or  ungraded  school. 


340 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

A  satisfactory  solution  of  the  problem  can  be  found 
only  through: 

1.  Finding  worth-while  seat  work  for  the  pupils. 

2.  Making  the  seat  work  link  with  the  recitation. 

3.  Getting  the  "interest  push"  in  the  work  to  come  from 
the  pupil. 

Seat  work  is  worth  while  only  as  it  leads  towards  the 
central  purpose  of  the  lesson.  A  mere  assignment  of 
scrappy,  unrelated  work  given  to  keep  pupils  busy  is 
next  to  valueless.  The  work  should  be  such  as  will 
reinforce  the  lesson  just  recited  or  lead  into  the  next  to 
be  given. 

Continuity  is  essential  to  successful  seat  work.  How 
long  the  pupil  may  be  kept  interested  in  doing  a  certain 
type  of  study  will  depend  on  the  age  and  the  nature  of 
the  pupil.  Each  lesson,  however,  should  lead  to  a  follow- 
up  lesson  till  the  central  object  of  the  study  is  reached. 

Variety  within  the  continuity  is  also  essential.  Monot- 
ony kills  the  spirit  necessary  to  keep  the  interest  alive 
and  growing.  The  problem  is,  how  to  relieve  the  grind 
by  changing  the  exercise  and  yet  keep  the  work  moving 
steadily  towards  the  goal. 

Real  motivation  is  the  key  that  will  solve  all  these 
problems.  Given  work  that  has  a  natural  interest  for  him 
individually,  the  pupil  can  be  led  to  give  his  best  to  the 
effort. 

So  far  as  language  work  goes  there  are  several  types  of 
seat  work  that  offer  natural  motivation.  Among  them 
are  the  following: 

i.   Making  language  booklets. 


THE  SEAT  WORK  PROBLEM 341 

2.  Real  letter  writing. 

3.  Blank-filling  exercises  for  vocabulary  building. 

4.  Reading  stories  to  tell  and  to  play. 

5.  Correct-usage  exercises. 

6.  Sentence  and  paragraph  studies. 

7.  Spelling  games  and  drills. 

8.  Illustrative  work  in  form  of  drawing,   cutting  and 
picture  mounting. 

The  Language  Booklet  may  be  worked  out  either  by 
the  class  or  by  individual  pupils. 

In  the  primary  grades  the  composite,  or  class  booklets 
are  best  for  most  of  the  work.  If  the  pupils,  for  example, 
are  working  on  birds,  let  each  contribute  one  or  two 
stories  for  the  class  book.  Perhaps,  later,  as  suggested 
in  the  closing  months  of  the  third  grade,  each  pupil  may 
work  out  a  playtime  booklet  for  himself. 

In  the  intermediate  grades,  the  individual  booklets 
may  be  increased.  Occasionally,  however,  the  class 
booklet  should  be  produced.  The  essential  point  is:  Do 
not  overdo  any  one  type  of  exercise.  The  booklet  is  less 
likely,  however,  to  grow  tiresome,  since  it  combines  many 
things  in  one.  Composition,  illustrations,  games,  letters, 
and  other  forms  of  expression  may  be  brought  within  it. 

In  the  grammar,  or  junior  high  school  grades,  greater 
individuality  should  characterize  the  work.  Here  the 
pupils  may  carry  forward  various  language  projects 
largely  on  their  own  initiative.  Among  the  various 
things  they  may  do  are  these:  (i)  Create  a  book  of 
tales;  (2)  Gather  local  history  stories;  (3)  Make  a  scenic 
sketch  book;  (4)  Write  biographies  or  an  autobiography; 
(5)  Create  newspapers;  (6)  Develop  an  industrial  book- 


342 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

let;  (7)  Make  a  booklet  of  verse  original  or  collected; 
(8)  Create  a  series  of  real  travel  tales;  (9)  Make  a 
recreation  booklet. 

A  great  many  interesting  forms  of  expression,  offering 
an  inviting  opportunity  for  original  self-expression,  are 
possible  in  the  junior  high  school  grades. 

Solving  the  seat  work  problem  is  mainly  a  question  of 
stimulating  in  the  pupil  an  individual  interest  in  express- 
ing himself  along  worth-while  lines  that  link  with  the 
lessons  at  hand. 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  COMBINATION  STUDY 
PLAN  SUGGESTED  ESPECIALLY 
FOR  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

The  multiplicity  of  grades,  and  subjects  to  teach  in 
most  rural  schools  makes  economy  of  time  and  teaching 
effort  imperative.  In  many  of  these  schools  also  there 
are  too  few  pupils  in  each  class  to  give  a  social  stimulus 
to  the  work.  The  composition  lesson  calls  naturally  for 
an  audience.  The  providing  of  this  audience  and  at  the 
same  time  the  cutting  down  of  the  number  of  classes, 
is  made  possible  by  the  Live  Language  Combination 
Plan. 

By  bringing  two  classes  together,  or  even  more  if 
absolutely  necessary,  the  composition  side  of  the  work 
can  be  given  during  the  recitation  conjointly.  The  drill 
exercises  and  individual  work  can  be  carried  on  during 
the  study  period.  The  following  outline  reveals  a 
systematic  plan  showing  how  the  various  studies  may  be 
brought  into  combination: 

Third  and  Fourth  Grades :  Live  Language  Lessons, 
First  Book 


I 


Summer  Stories  ,,.,.  f  Little  Laborers 

Fun  in  the  Country  { Home  Helpers 

Autumn  Time 


Autumn  Gifts 


343 


344 


LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 


IV 

V 

VI 

VII 


Indian  Stories  and 

Thanksgiving 
Hallowe'en  Stories 
Santa  Stories 
Christmastide 
Snowflake  Fun 
Snow  Sports 
Fireside  Story  Hour 
Around  the  Fireside 


VIII 


IX 


X 

I 


Stories    for    Little 

Americans 

Little  Folk  of  Other 
Lands 

Springtime  Stories 
Spring   in   Song  and 
Story 

Plays   and   Playmates 
Maytime 


Fifth  and  Sixth  Grades :   Live  Language  Lessons, 

Second  Book 
Vacation  Stories 


Streamside  and  Seashore        VI 


II 


III 


IV 


The  World's  Workers 
Fairs  and  Festivals 
Thanksgiving 
Stories  of  Industry 

Christmas  Stories  and 
Songs 

Recreation 

Schooldays  and  School- 
mates 

Life  in  the  City 


VII 


VIII 


IX 


X 


f  Brave  Boys  and  Girls 

Stories  of  Our  Coun- 
try 

Our  Animal  Friends 

Wild  Animal  Life 

Spring  Work 
and 

Spring  Sports 

Bird  Life 

Orchard    and    Wild- 
wood 

General  Review  Ex- 
ercises 

Beginnings  in  Gram- 
mar 


Seventh  and  Eighth  Grades :   Live  Language  Lessons, 
Third  Book 


For  Regular  Work 
i.   Stories  and  Story  Telling, 
(pp.  i  to  32) 


For  Supplemental  Studies 
Writing  Stories. 

(pp.  195  to  200) 


COMBINATION  PLAN  FOR  RURAL  SCHOOLS    345 


2.  Local  History  Stories. 

(pp.  38  to  45) 

3.  Homes  and  Home-making. 

(pp.  107  to  133) 

4.  The  Newspaper. 

(pp.  175  to  189) 

5.  Travelers'  Sketch  Books. 

(pp.  201  to  207) 

6.  The  Poet  and  His  Art. 

(pp.  151  to  174) 


History  of  Home  Town. 

(pp.  45  to  51) 
A  State  Day  Edition. 

(pp.  191  to  194) 
Debates. 

(p.  19 
Addresses. 

(pp.  217  to  222) 
Sketch  Books. 

(pp.  52  to  66) 
Recreation. 

(pp.  208  to  215) 


The  supplemental  studies  suggested  should  be  given 
only  in  case  there  is  ample  time  for  them.  In  the  six 
studies  suggested  for  regular  work  will  be  found  com- 
position work — oral  and  written— 'enough  to  fill  half  a 
year.  During  the  other  half  of  the  time  the  class  should 
probably  be  divided  to  study  the  more  formal  side  of  the 
work  each  grade  studying  separately  as  follows: 


Seventh  Grade 

Paragraph  Studies, 
(pp.  33  to  37) 

Study  of  the  Sentence, 
(pp.  67  to  106) 

Word  Studies  and  Correct- 
Usage  Drills,   (pp.  134  to 

149) 

Enunciation  Practice, 
(pp.  160  to  163) 


i. 


2. 


Eighth  Grade 

Sentence  Structure. 

(pp.  223  to  276) 
Parts  of  Speech. 

(pp.  277  to  368) 
Inflections. 

(pp.  369  to  418) 


346 LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

The  minimum  course  only  can  be  covered  well  during 
so  brief  a  time.  For  this  minimum  it  is  suggested  that 
the  following  lessons  be  omitted : 

1.  From  the  seventh  grade  work:  Exercises  17,  49,  57, 
58,  92,  94,  96. 

2.  From  the  eighth  grade  work:    Exercises  140  to  149 
inclusive,  165  to  170  inclusive,  and  Exercises  187,  188,  189, 
194,  226,  230,  235. 


Live  Language  Uniform  Program  for  Year 
Suggested  Especially  for  Rural  Schools 

The  season  arrangement  of  the  Live  Language  studies 
in  the  third,  fourth,  fifth,  and  sixth  grades  makes 
possible  a  concerted  plan  of  action  covering  the  school 
year.  Subjects  may  be  taken  up  during  the  time  when 
the  interest  is  naturally  created  for  them.  By  such  a 
plan  the  work  of  the  school  may  be  effectively  cor- 
related with  economy  of  time  and  effort,  and  the  various 
classes,  in  graded  schools  especially,  be  kept  working  in 
unison. 

The  following  outline  to  guide  this  work  is  given  only 
as  suggestive.  It  will  bring  richest  results  by  being 
followed,  not  slavishly,  but  somewhat  faithfully. 

Approximately  three  weeks  may  well  be  given  to  each 
general  study  in  composition  and  the  tongue  training 
and  finger  practice  accompanying  each  of  these  studies 
in  oral  and  written  expression. 


UNIFORM  STUDY  OUTLINE 


347 


UNIFORM  STUDY   OUTLINE   FOR   LIVE  LANGUAGE   LESSONS 

COVERING   THIRD,    FOURTH,   FIFTH,    AND    SIXTH 

GRADE   WORK 

Group    Third  Grade    Fourth  Grade     Fifth  Grade      Sixth  Grade 


I 

Summer 
Stories 

Fun  in 
Country 

Play  for 
Young 
Workers  (i) 

Summer 
Sports 

II 

Little 
Laborers 

Home 
Helpers 

World's 
Workers 

Stories  of 
Industry 

III 

Indian    Sum- 
mer 

Hallowe'en 
Time 

Indian  Life 

Fairs  and 

IV 

Thanksgiving 
Time 

Autumn 
Gifts 

Thanksgiving 

Festivals 

V 

Santa  Stories 

Christmas- 
tide 

Christmas 
Stories 

Entertain- 
ments 

VI 

Snowflake  Fun 

Snow  Sports 

Outdoor 
Sports  (2) 

School 
Days 

VII 

Fireside 
Stories 

Around    the 
Fireside 

Animal 
Friends 

Wild  Ani- 
mal 
Stories 

VIII 

Little  Ameri- 
cans 

Little  Folk 
of  Other 
Lands 

Brave    Boys 
and  Girls 

Stories   of 
our 
Country 

IX 

Springtime 

Spring  Songs 
and 
Stories 

Spring  Work 
and  Play 
(3) 

Life  in  the 
City 

X 

Playmates  and 
Pets 

May 
Flowers 

Bird  Life 

Orchard 
and 
Wild- 
wood 

(i)    Taken  from  Exercise  7. 


348  LIVE  LANGUAGE  LESSONS 

(2)  The  study  "Spring  Sports"  on  page  124,  may  be  readily  adapt- 
ed for  the  winter  time. 

(3)  Chapter   on   "Springtime    Fun"  is  added  to  "Spring  Work" 
here. 

The  foregoing  uniform  plan  has  several  things  to 
commend  it: 

1.  It  offers  opportunity  for  the  school  to  follow  the 
waves  of  interest  brought  by  the   various   holidays   and 

seasons. 

2.  It  gives  each  grade  a  content  of  its  own,  but  offers  also 
a  chance  for  team  work. 

3.  An  opportunity  for  correlation  of  language  literature, 
art  and  music  is  in  the  plan. 

A  FINAL  WORD 

The  aim  kept  foremost  in  producing  this  manual  has 
been  to  give  teachers  such  practical  suggestions  and 
directions  as  will  best  help  them  to  help  themselves. 
To  get  the  desired  results  the  teacher  must  inspirit  and 
enrich  these  suggestions.  This  done,  the  language 
lessons  cannot  fail  of  being  not  only  alive,  but  joyful 
and  efficient. 


\ 


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i 

JAN   201933 
AUG     7  1934 

OCT   29  1935 
MAR  28  1933 


,0 
'84? 

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